The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-22 00:00:00

STT Ikr; L -',.130r4, T r S _Yi - AFI R

seeing that in ihataiar the propOrtion of Roman Cathoz
lies was much smaller in the list than this year ?—(Hear.)
Now, what was the nature of the imputation which had
been 'cast upon the persons conducting the prosecutions
in Ireland? It was founded upon an affidavit of Mr.
Mahoney, which had been adverted to by the Hon.
and Learned Member for- Worcester, which affidavit was
of so extraordinary a character, that he (Mr. Smith)
ventured to assert that no Court in Westminster. Hall,
and he spoke in the presence of his Hon. and Learned
Friends the Law Officers of the Crown—no
Court in Westminster Hall would have acted upon
a statement which imputed fraud, but which
failed to state how, and by whom, that
fraud had been committed. The affidavit stated that
in the belief of the deponent, a wilful and corrupt sup-
pression of the names of persons qualified to be on the
special jury list had been made. Now the singularity
of this swearing was, that it did not assert by whoth
this fraud had been committed. Might not, then, the
imputation just as, well attach to those.persons who were
connected with the defence ?—(Loud cheers• from the
Ministerial benches.) What was the course pursued by
Mr. M•Grath, the deputy clerk of the peace, who was
himself a Roman Catholic? What was the course he bad
pursued ? Why he,had actually furnished Mr. Mahoney
with the revised lista of the special jurors, while he re-
fused the same indulgence to the persons conducting the
prosecutions, although frequently applied to. This, had
been stated in an affidavit by Mr. Kemmis.
Mr. SHEIL--There was no such affidavit made.
Mr. SDIITII • could confidently assert, on his ows
knowkdge, that such was the fact. Mr. Kemrnis had
told him over and over again that he was unable to get
any information froM Mr. M'Grath.
Mr. SHEIL--Ife did not swear it.
Mr. SMITH continued—He held that it would have
been inconsistent with-his dutyto the country for him to
have consented to the quashing-of the jury panel. whereby
a postponement of the trial would have resulted. Con.
sidering the state of Ireland, it was impossible for- hiM,
consistently with-his duty, to consent to anything which
would lead to a postponement. He contended that most
of the grounds upon which the affidavits of the attorney
for the traversers :rested were only derived from
mere hearsay, and he (the Attorney-General for
,Ireland)thought that such- evidence was not worth one
farthing. That affidavit, mentioned the names of only
two individuals out of the eleven who were stated
to be the excluded Catholics, but he had documents
which would prove that most, if not all, of those persons,
were members of the Repeal Association, and had taken
an active part in that agitation, and some of whom-had
attended at and signed the requisition; calling the great
Mullaghtnset and others of the monster- meetings.—
(Cries of Name.") He should not enable the opposite
party to place their fingers upon him.—(Tory cheers.)
Mr. Kemmis. had filed an affidavit, stating that he
believed the names of about ten Catholics only had been
omitted, and he had good reason tolinow that all those
were attached to the Repeal Association. He would ask
whether he was to blame, under those circumstances, for
not quashing a panel, and thereby' causing con-
siderable delay in those trials.=(Tory cheers.) He
could assert that, in a particular case in this country,
when parties were tried for.rioting, several jurors had
been set aside, on the ground of their belonging to
the disturbed district ; and he contended that the
Crown had a legitimate right to challenge : those
who were connected with the Repeal Association.
The Hon. 'and Learned Member for Worcester 'had
charged him with not selecting a common jury, -for if
he had done so, -he dared not to have' set aside the ju-
rors as he had done ; but this he (the Attorney-General
for Ireland) denied, and would state to the Hon. and
Learned Member, that shortly after- his appointment, to
his present office, he-had, without the slightest recom-
mendation from the Government, written circulars to the
different crown solicitors; on the mode of forming com-
mon juries, giving them directions in accordance with
the directions of Chief Baron O'Grady, and those direc-
tions had been also issued by the Hon. and Learned
Member for Clonmel, who had held the same office
which he did. He should now allude to the conduct of
those who: had criticised' his conduct. He was pre-
sent on the occasion to which he was about to allude—
he was present, and certainly a- more extraordinary
proceeding -he had never witnessed. A regiment of
soldiers marched-into the town of Carrick.on-Suir, in the
county of Tipperary, and an altercation ensued between
them and'another detachment of soldiers stationed there,
The townspeople took part with One body of the Mili-
tary, and Mr. Pearse, the chief constable, a gentleman
of high character; finding the riot becoming most alarm-
ing, ordered the picket to fire, when a boy was shot.
The Right Hon. and Learned Member -for Dungarron
prosecuted Mr. Pearce in that case, who was indicted
for wilful murder. What was the course pursued by
the Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman.? He set aside
36 jurors, and of the first 30 so challenged 29 were Pro-
testanta.--(Tory cheers.) He (the Attorney-General
for Ireland) would ask, was 'not that something very
much resembling a packed jury?—(Renewed cheers)—
and those were the parties who set upon him, and said
he dared not set aside the jurors from a- common jury.
A charge had been brought against him by the
Honourable Member for Cork during this debate, and
he felt sure that Honourable and Learned Gen-
tleman would retract it when he knew the facts.
Ho had said that he (the Attorney-General for Ireland)
had been in the • habit of compelling the attendance of
the traversers every day in court. He would state what he
did ; and what he would do again under similar circum-
stances. He believed that, with the exception of the
day on which Mr. O'Connell stated his case to the jury,
and that on which the Right Hon. Member for Dungar-
von also addressed the jury, Mr. O'Connell was not In
the court, on an average, any day for more than ten
minutes ; and he (the Attorney-General for Ireland)
never inquired whether he was or was not, and would
have thought it tuineeessarily harsh and ungenerous if
he had done so. Again, with respect to Mr. Duffy,
when that gentleman was Unwell, he was informed that
he might suit his own convenience as to his hours of
attendance.. What the Hon. and Learned Mem-
ber for • Cork had stated, in one instance,
with respect to the trial being stopped to com-
pel the attendance of the traversers, was true.
They were present at the swearing in of the jury, in
order to prevent any legal technicality from being
raised by counsel. On another occasion, where the
Hon. Member for Limerick took the chair at the Repeal
•
Association, where the subject of discussion was
avowedly the State trials then pending, Mr. O'Connell
left the Court for the purpose of • being present there,
and he (the Attorney-Generai) Would appeal to English
practice, ifa traverser would be allowed to leave the Court
to attend at the meeting of an Association which formed
one of the principal features in the indietment?—(Tory
cheers.) The Hon. and Learned Member for Worcester
had complained that the Government had not sooner put
down this agitation, and said ihat the Government had
been laying a trap to ensnare the traversers, But in her
Majesty's speech in the,House of Lords on the 24th of
August, the repeal agitation and the state of Ireland was
the subject of strong remark ;' and, lie would ask, was
this a sufficient intimation of the intentions of her Ma-
Majesty's Government, given many months before the
ClOntarf meeting? ' How was the determination received
by the repeal party when it reached Dublin ? Why,
there was a 'meeting of the Association, and a kind of
counter-speech emanated from that body, and the
people were told That they bad no one to depend
upon except themselves, and that they had
nothing- to expect from the linperial Parliament.
Monster meetings were held, and the people were told
that the Governmentwere abOut to go to law with them,
that they'bid the -Government defiance, and that " old
birds were not to be caught with chaff:"—(Hear, and
laughter.) 'They set the law at defiance, and carried on
the agitation in the very teeth of the speech frorn,the
Throne; and yet he, -was told-that the Government de-
layed giving an intimation of the• course they would
pursue. The Honi and Learned Member for -Worcester

had
_alluded to the indictment being one' for misde-
meanour and not for treason, and wondered that this
dictment had not been framed in a -similar manner to
that against Lord George Gordon that then Lord
George Gordon had gone to the door of the House to
overawe the Legislature by his personal intimida-
tion, at the very door of the House, and that con-
sequently his crime deserved to be indicted in
a different manner. He (ihe Attorney-General)
thought the -Honourable and Learned Member's law
would not meet with much approbation in Westminster
Hall. It was of no consequence whether those monster
meetings were held in Palace-yard or 60 miles, from the
House of Commons. Some of the most eminent Judges
of the English Courts had decided this point. The Hon.
and Learned Member had also allnded to the count of
the indictment charging. the travel-sem with conspiracy,
but he (the Attorney-General) would tell him where he
found that count.. Why; he got it froin Mr. Mauls of
the Home-office, and it was the one framed by the law
officer of the late Government in the trial of Frost and
Edwards in Wales—(Laughter from the Tory benches)—
and he had the original document in his possession now, if
the' Hon. and Learned Member wished to see it. Now,
he (the Attorney-General for Ireland) was charged with
straining the law, becaus.e he Adopted a line of policy
which he considered to be bad, and that was copying
everything which had • emanated from the Hon. and
Learned Member for Worcester.—(Cheers, and laughter.)
It was rather too bad to accuse • him of- straining
the law,' when it was nothing' more • than
a transcript emir a Whig straining of the law.
The Hon: and Learned Gentleman attempted 'to convey
the imputation that the Irish Government had sought to
prosecute the' press, and that they made a point of doing
so. They did no such thing. But he held, and .would
continue to hold, the opinion that those Connected with
the press should not be 'exempted from punishment,
merely because they'were so connect; d. Dr. Gray and
Mr. Barlett; proprietors of the'Frerman's Journal and
Pilot newspapers, had attended a' variety of meetingii,
and took an active part in them. With respect to' the
reading of
,newspayei-s "on the trial, and their ,
misi;ibility as evidence, he contended that the
newspaper evidence tendered on the trial was perfectly
legal and }:roper, and the Right lion. and Learned
Gentleman the Solicitor-General for England, whom he
consulted, ass -entirely of. his •opinion. Those newa=
papers had been identified as having
,been 'circulated by
the Repeal Association—by the -printer for that body,
who swore to the printed regulationg:., of the Repeal
Association—a copy of which 'was
,produced on- the
trial. , With a view to carrying out the "organization in
every cityitown and village, the repeal_. wardens were
directed to circulate the evening Freeman and Pilot
newspapers through every district which had subscribed
201., and it was further the duty of those repeal wardens
to circulate the Notion, -a weekly newspaper, in every
district which had subscribed lOL It was the
duty, of those repeal wardens to -take care that
the. -papers were circulated in' such a manner
that every person in the neighbourhood might have an
opportunity of reading them. Every man thus became
a publisher of repeal opinions, and by the circulation of
the most inflammatory articles, the minds of the
people-were poisedeld,`and rendered' hostile to theipeCple,
of this country. The system or sieilltrinf had been mainly
worked out by the instrumentality of newspapers. Two:

of the editors were in the constant habit of. •attendinfY
these monster meeting,s, and was he to be told that the
editors of newspapers were to be exempted from the
consequences of the commission o 2 crime? With
respect to an absent and respected individual,
whom he held; • and would always continue to
hold, in the greatest respect, but who had been
treated in a `very harsh manner, he must say a few
words—the Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's
'Bench in Ireland had, in common with the Crown
lawyers and the jury, been maligned in the grossest
manner. The Lord Chief Justice had the concurrence
of his brethren on the bench in the manner in which he
laid down the law to the jury. It should be recollected
that one of his coadjutors was Mr. Justice Perrin, who
had been Attorney-Generalunder the Whig Government.
—(Hear, hear.) But he, too, agreed in the manner in
which the law had been laid down by the Lord Chief
.Tustice ; and if he differed from that exposition, he
would have been guilty, of a gross dereliction of duty
if he did not state why he so differed. The Hon. and
Learned Member had alluded to the manner in which
the Solicitor-General had sent the documents to the jury.
He said they were disjointed scraps, here and there pasted
on pieces of paper, and•that the whole documents had
not been sent. He (Mr. Smith) most emphatically de-
nied this. The newspapers from which the extracts
were made were sent up, except, indeed, in the case of
the leading articles, which-had been printed together,
for the greater convenience-of the Crown lawyers. With
respect to the charge of the Lord Chief Justice, he ad-
mitted that it was not the habit of persons tried for
offences to be in love with the Judge's charge.—(A
laugh, and cries of " Hear, hear.") The accused often
thought that material portions ,of their defence had been
omitted by the Judge, and no person in Court thought
so but themselves. In the course of the trial the tra-
versers had called a mass =of evidence- for the defence
which, properly• speaking, was wholly inadmissible. For
instance, the speeches of Mr. O'Connell in 1800 and
1810, which had nothing whatever to do with the trial,
but were yet not objected to by the Crown. •
Mr. SHEIL—You objected to them.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL---I did not,
Mr. SHEIL—You did. , • • ,

The ATTORNEY-GENhRALL:(in a warm and ex-
cited manner repeated that he had not done so)—He
positively stated that he did not. Charges had been
brought against him personally, which he did not think
he deserved. He, had abstained from going into the
meritslofrthe: case, because it could not be said to have
been yet concluded, as it must receive some future con-
sideration in the Courts in Ireland ; but what he wished
' to refer to was of a personal nature, A complaint had
been made against him, and he thoughtwith justice, of an
act committed in the course of the proceedings ; he had
been misled by feelings of irritation, which he ought
not to have yielded to. The Court having adjourned,
he permitted himself, after language of a very irritating
nature, to take a step which he deeply regretted.—(Cheers,
from both sides of the House.) lie was sure there was
not a gentleman in that House who would not make
allimance for his feelings under the circumstances.—
(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") He did not wish to say
a• word about Mr. Fitzgibbon—he was absent, and hebe-
lieved the language which had escaped from him, and
which-had irritated him (the Attorney-General for Ire-
land) had escaped from hini 'inadvertently. Enter-
taining these views, he should not say a single word to
inculpate him—he thought it would be base and un-
generous to do so: -He -(the Attorney-General for Ire-
land) considered that he had received a gross insult--
that personal • disbonour had been imputed to him—
whether right or wrong he would not then determine.
Those who knew him would say that he had always main-
tained a character forhonourand honesty', In a moment of
excitation the occurrence took place, and had it not been
that the Court unfortunately adjourned, it would not
have happened, for he would have had time to cool.—
(A laugh.) He did not urge it as a justification, but he
was willing to go the whole length, and say that he acted
With impropriety. He thought that a generous and
manly allowance would be made for such feelings under
such circumstances. He had explained this matter the
more fully, lest it might be. thought he was unwilling
to admit he had been in the wrong. A charge had been
made against him by the Hon. Member for Dungarvon
in Ireland—that he had at one time made a speech
containing language very offensive to Roman Catho-
lics.: New, .he (the: Attorney-General for Ireland)
went to Mr.- Millikin's, the bookseller's, in Dublin,
who had published his speech in a pamphlet fornt, and
by much the fullest report of: it; and in that speech,
though there was strong language regarding the appro-
priation clause, he did not believe anything could be
found offensive to Roman CathOcs. If, however, there
was. any sentiment which gave .pain..to individuals of
that persuasion,. all he could say was, that he sincerely
regretted it. • • The Right Hon. Gentleman knew that he
(the 'Attorney-General for Ireland) had been friendly
to the claims.of the Irish Roman Catholics ; at a period
when it was not fashionable to be so; he had been fa-
Vourable to Catholic' emancipation-. • He' would not
longer detain.the House. He felt that he had intruded
a great deal -upon their patieeee—(Hear.) He must
own that he had hitherto felt somewhat awkward, and
that he did not feel so -much at home as When addressing
a court of law ; but the kind. Manner in which he had
beeureceited by both-sides of the House would relieve
him- in future from much of that' embarrassment in
addressing them; though he would not trespass so grie-
vously on their patience as he felt constrained to do
upon• that night.—(Loud and -long continued cheering
from the Ministerial benches.)
Mr. DILLON. BROWNE moved the adjournment
of the debate, amid loud cries of " Sheil, Sheil."--The
adjournment was agreed to.
A few orders of the day were then disposed of, and
the House adjourned at Ten minutes to Twelve o'Clock.

't
GRAND WEEKLY
ANTI-CORN-LAW LEAGUE

MEETING

AT COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE

ENTHUSIASTIC. RECEPTION OF mn: O'CONNELL
The usual weekly meeting of the Anti-Corn-law League was
held last evening, -at Covent-garden 'Theatre, and never, since
first the League commenced holding these metropolitan gather-
ings, do we remember any meeting which could be at all ME-
pared ' with the' meeting of last light, either for the
members congregated together or for theenthusiasm exhibited,'
As early as five o'clock in the afternoon Bow-stieet and Vert-
street, a ere crowded to excess, and as soon as the doors were
opened the rush was terrific—boxes, pit, gallery, orchestra, and
stage were crammed to suffocation within file, minutes after
the doors were opened, while the crowd in' the street did not
seem in the least diminished. •It was koewn that
Mr. O'Connell would visit the' meeting during the
course of the evening, eh& in spite of the unfavourable
state of the Weather (the night was cold and rainy),
the streets leading to the theatre continued to be crowded,
• notwithstanding the announcement by plaeard that the theatre
was full, and that no one could be admitted. The majority of
the pensons who thus waited to show their respect for, and sym-
pathy with, thi Hon. and Learned Gentleman, were evideatli,
from their appearance,
a respectable class in sooiety, and nothing
could exceed the propriety and peaceableness of their condnet.
Shortly.:before seven o'clock, James Harmer, Esq (the late
Alderman), entered the, theatre, and took his seat at the table.
He was loudly cheered by the audience.. James Pattison,
Esq., •M. Ps for , made his the City of London, next '
•
appear-
ance, and was greeted with repeated rounds of applause. -Dr.
Bowring, M.P., General Sir De Licy_ Evans, Colonel Peron.
net Thompson, R. Cobden, Esq., M.P., J. Bright; Esq.,
M.P., and W. J. Fox; Esq., followed Mr. -Poetises, and
were all loudly applauded, '
There were also preseat—Daniel 'O'Connell, Esq., M.P.,
Hen. Charles Pelham Villiers, M.P., John O'Connell, Esse,
M.P., William Ord, Lig., M.P., Sir-David RoChe,
M.P.,J.orcl Charles Fitzroy, M.P., W. Williams, Esq., M.P.,
Edmund Burke Roche, Esq., M.P., Lord Demeanors, Edward
Ellice, Esq., jun., -M.P., Hon. R. P. Bouverie, Joseph
Hume, Esq., N.P., W. D. Pti.P., T. Milner
Gibson, Esq. , M.P., Sharman' Crawford, Esq., M.P., Edward
Herman, Esq., M.P., Sir -Valentine Blake,. Bart., M: P.,
Thomas Wakley, • Esq.; M.P., John Evans, Esq., Jelin
Travers, Esq., C. T. Crowley, Esq., &wpm Esq., Rev.
Dr.-Jenkyn, Christopher Temple, Esq., Q. Q., D. C. Mayhem,
Esq., Summers flarford, Esq.. J. Wynn, Esq., the Very Rev.
Dr. Magee, Dr. Sheridan, Dr. Edwin Lawliester, Chas. Crogis,
Esq., G. Barrett, Esq. ( Southarapton),Wy one Ellis, Esq. P.,
C, F.: Tagart, Esq., W..A. Maybury, Esq., R. T. Hamptop,
Esq., Henry Fenner, Esq.,, William Edgar, Esq., W. H.
Hobhouse, Esq., George Crawford Heath, Esq., Capt. Ridout,
C. J. Spurrier, Esq., Dr. Nugent, John M'Leod, Esq.,
J. Cox; Esq., William Joseph Amherst, Esq.,- Wm. Thomson,
Esq., P. H. Le Breton, Esq., - Robert Hope, Esq., George
Vaughan, Esq., Alexander Bell, Esq., Ff. Chateret (Paris),
Samuel Coleby, Esq., George Ridout, Esq., Samuel• Clark.,
Esq., John Hunter, Esq., John. Bickers, .Esq , Martin
Thackeray, Dr. Blandford, Punehard, Esq., W. Drew,
Esq., Henry Askworth, Esq. (Bolton), William Evans, Esq.
(Manchester), Thomas Harbottle, Esq. (Manchester), W. J.
Scott, Esq. (Manchester), C. 0. Boyse, East.; Henry Jervis,
Esq. (Exeter), Thomas Latimer,' Esq.' (Wheathempitead),
R. Rothwell,T Esq., W. Thornborrow, Esq., E. T. Granger,
Esq., Genial Bayard (United States), James Harmer, Esq.,
William Loaf, Esq., and Robert Carrick, Esq. (Carlisle).
G. WstrioN, Esq., Chairmen of the League, took the Chair
at seven o'clock, amidst loud cheers.,
The Sicexraax read the minutes of the proceedings of
the last meeting, which, on the motion of
-Mr. Cobden; se-
conded by Mr. Bright, were confirmed.
The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to address the meeting as
follows have seen many great Meetings 'of the National
Anti-Corn-law League both hers and in the Fiee-Trade Hall
in Manchester, the only two. places in- the kingdom which
are sufficiently large to accommodate even a-small portion of
our friends, but I never before saw any meeting which
equalled in tnimber, in respectability, and is intelligence that
which is 'assembled here this evening._(Laud cheers.) This,
is as it should be.—(Cheers.) We are here for no
party object—(Cheers)—for no political• ohject—( &mid
cbeers)—and we seek no party triumph—(Load •cheera)
and we desire to accomplish no party victory.—( Cheers.) We
desire to'aecure the union and ep-operation of men of, every
shade of political opinion on behalf of this esovesaerit, the
greatest that has ever enlisted the .sympathiee of the people of
this country. It is 'right that we should meet in such numbers
if it were only for the purpose of contrasting oar meetings with
the small meetings which the monopolists are holding in the
agricultural districts—(Cheeri)—and in some holes and
corners in Loadon.—( Cheers.) I could tell you much about those
meetings. We know much more of the nature of those meet-
ings than you could possibly collect from the reports in the
monopolist journals. I could tell you of 'meetings af two
hundred, held in little smoky rooms, which- when full
could not possibly accommodate ifty—(Cheers)—of eloquent
speeches which have never been spoken, although they have
been reported—(Cheers)—of yesolutioes, which have, been
passed without ever having heen.proposed7:.(Cheers)—and of
subscription' pat down, which have never hems promised and
will'never be paid.—(Cheers and laughter.) At one of these
meetings a Neble Earl, whose station would induce us to ex-
pect from him at least an equal amount of good breeding with
Noble Earlhick
waroneeziOfibtihtedese mbyeettihnegs ii;snibreeperritae.sitheit'olehaegeneedea-
sigintedthe Anti-Cora-law League as one of the most bloody,
revalutioaary, and nuconativation associations that had
ever disgraced the coantry.—(Nime, name.:) You ask for
his -name—it: is- the Earl of • Winchilseti.—( Cries of " Oh,
oh," laughter, groans, and hisses.) I will state; for the in
formation of the Noble Earl, that the League is not unconstiti-
tionel.—( Cheers.) It is not opposed in the slightest degree to
the Constitution of the country.---( Cheers.) We admire the
piovisions made by that Constitution in order to procure for
the country the services of such pre-eminent 'individuals as tb
Noble Earl, by securing to them a seat in the- higher House
of the Legislature.—( Loud laughter.) We repudiate the terra
bloody.—( Cheers.) It belongs not to us. --(Cheers.) We
seek for an alteration in the corn-laws by peaceable and consti-
tutional means alone.—(Cheers.) The Corn-laws were im-
posed amidst the sacrifice of human lifi—(Cheers)...aud they
will be repealed amidst the rejoicings of millions Of ear 'fellow-
countrymen, who are watching the struggle in which we are
engaged with an interest superior even to that which Nye our-
selves feel.—(Loud cheers.) It would be unbecoming in me
to waste your time by making any lengthened address to you.
I will, therefore, at once proceed to the business of the even-
ing, and call upon James Wilson, Esq., of London, to address
you. Cheers.)
Ws.
Mr. JAMES I.BQN then came forwArd,
and.said
that he thought all present would 'be ready to ailow that
if .ever any individual had stood in need of the indul-
gence of those whom he was about to address, it was
one occupying the situation welch he did. that night.—
(Cheers.) He had to address. an audience labouring
under' peculiar excitement, derived -perhaps from the
expected visit of the illuArious -man—(lmmense cheer-
ing)—whom he hoped Geol. to, see amongst them--;
(Continued cheering)—aa a witness of their determina-
tion to support those doctrines which were held not by the
manufacturing and commercial body only; but by a consi-
derable portion of the agricultural body also. . They
were assembled for the purpose of discussieg_ questions
of great national importanCe—to Consider whether it
nation,,With a population which Was increasing at the
-rate of 1,000 a-day, which Was equal to 365,000 a-year,
should be restricted in its food and in its .ti'ade,—.
(Cheers.) He besought them, therefore, to subdue
somewhat of their enthusiasm, as he was desirous
-
that the present Occasion should be made, enes not
only of interest, but of instruction.—(Cheer.) 'The
Chairman had told them most properly that they were
met for no party purpoee-:--they were met to promote _
cause in which all were generally and equally interested._
—(Cheers.) ,-They were met to advocate freedom• of
industry and of intellect as applied to the industrial pur-
suits of the country.—(Here Mr. Wakley entered the
theatre, and was much cheered.)
.They were met to dis-
cuss 'whether it was better for the interests of the country
—whether the.4lTorta of. her sons could lie best brought
oe
dt
nc tg
s
out• by competition or by protection—delusive protection.
He called the principle of protection delusive, for it was
was to rob one por-
tion for an Act of Parliainent to add wealth-to
any one class, without abstracting it from some other
class.—(Cheers.) All that -these Acta of Tarliament,
another. He
at the late
• ltural meetings, and he had not seen a, single
agricultural
argument prove that t
put forward to he corn-laws
were not injurious to the country—{Cheers)—and as
eluoidating that part of the
,subtect, -mould Allude to
ihtinisodP:oasintt'tteghneptirer community
tiwuvenaitctdietiid:So,trhcdeoeurldptrodoi
which had recently been de use of by a
an argument
•Noble Lord at a meeting in Scotland, who had endea-
4ioured .to prove that, as thecOrn•laws bad been made
more stringent,, commerce and manufactures had in-
creased sin prosperity, by
.sh olving _t_ _
hat aims, 1815 the
exports Of the country
had regularly increased.
1
(Ifear, hear.) That oh e Lord. had- stated that
in the year 1815, the value of- the
t_
he exports amounted to
.only forty-two millions, and t y hail gone on gra-
dually increasing, until n tba
ow hey -amounted to 100 mil-
lions annually.. Now that Noble Lord had either for-
gotten or had never been aware of the fact,, that goods
entered . for -exportation at the Custom7houxe
were declared according to their official value, and
also' according .to their real value. Now,
the • -difference between the official -and the real
value was _ this : . the official.. !value of goods
was calculated upon a certain fixed rule, which had been
its existence for 50 years, and consequently it gave
what would have been the value of 'the goods s 0 years
ago, while the real value represented the actual value of
the goods at the present Moment. Now, it so happened
that in the year 1815 the official value, of the, goods
exported amounted to forty-two millions, while the real
value •of those, goods was fifty-one Millions. On t'ho
ether hand, in the year 1842- -the `-61ficial '
of the goods exported amounted 'to 100 4,11111.0n5, while
the real or declared valo, which-amounted to 0 mil-
lions in 1015, , amoll'itedto oily 47 millions in 1842.
(ciieers.) Now front thia it lIP)PNA that while more
than double the quantity of manufauturedgowstxpoio
in 1815 had been exported in 1842, yet)the value .Of
those • manufactures, and that labour of •which those
manufactures had been produced, had been :reduced'
in -value by orie beifs Elope 1131.5, Did he
Complain of that ? HP sg,y, glat. it
(*Wit tp be considered 'as-one of the proudest boasts of
this .countrY-tbstvhe WO' enabled, by, hiyi—intemettioil
by her industry, and by competition, so .to Were the
cost of goods as to be able to secure to herself the mar

keta. of the world, and give employment to het' Own
people.—(Cheers.) Now how could she give employ-
ment to her own people, except by increasing her
manufactures ?—(Loud cheering.) It should be re-
collected that not. • a single additional pair of
hands had been, employed in agriculture. It was in
manufacturei alohe that the increased population could
be employed.—(Cheers.) At another meeting. which
had been held last week, an agrieulturiSt had said that
he could see no reason for their complaining of the
corn-lawa, because at the present time corn was not
higher in price than it had been at the commencement
of the present century. But it should be recollected
that_ while the price of corn had continued the same,
the price of manufactured goods had been lowered one
half.- Then let them '"inquire what became of the fund
produced by this difference between the relative value
of agricultural and- manufacturing-produce. - Was the
• state- of 'the labourer improved? . Certainly not. His
wages at that time were 125., las., or 18s. a week. They.
were now Bs., 95., or perhaps les. Were the farmers more
prosperous than- they had been ? On - the contrary,
they were ruined. It they found that the farmers were
ruined, and the wages of labourers lessened, what had
become of the residue ?—(Cheers.) Why, it simply re-
solved-itself into rent.---:(Cheers.) It was obvious,
therefore, that thelandlord'pbssessed two pre-eminent ad-
vantages ; ,in the first place it was increasing. his rent ;
and in the second place he was profiting by the dimin-
ished price of all the commodities which he bad to pur-
chase.—(Cheera.) The labouring population were un-
der two- disadvantages ; their wages were diminished,
while the agriculturist claimed to fix for them the price
of the necessaries of life.--{Cheers.) What he con-
tended for -was, that if agriculture were exposed to the
same principle as -manufactures=if it- were exposed
to fair and • open 'competition-.-they would see
the same improvement taking place in agriculture
which had- already taken place in manufactures.—
(Cheers.) He contended that without free competition
they could never have that improvement in agriculture
which they had a right to expect ; and it was only by
adopting the principle of free exchange and open compe-
tition that they could ever. hope for a complete deve-
lopment Of the resources of that country.—(Cheers.)
It was most fallacious to contend that an increased
import of food would not be attended by an increased
export of menufeetureclarticles, the productef the indus-
ty of the:people. What would they be the better; it
was asked, for - importing'their food, - if they could not
sell their labour? Governments of other countries, it
had been said, had met us with hostile tariffs, and such
would continue' to be the case, even were the importa-
tion of food from other countries permitted. Now ho
contended that it was impossible for us to deal with any
country without that country dealing with us., ,
Here the speaker was interrupted for some minutes
by the shouts of the, people without, announcing the ap-
proach- of Mr. O'Connell.. The Cheering, which lasted
some minutes, was distinctly heard within the theatre.
The tudichee caught the enthusiasm, and commenced
cheering, when . .
The CHAIRMAN came forward and said—l have to
announce that Mr. O'Connell will be here a little before
eight o'clock. . ,
. Mr. J'. WILSON then continued his address. They
were told that if they did import food from
foreign eountries, those countries would not take their
produce in return. Now, the facts which hid occurred
during the last five years completely disproved this as-
sertion. We had relaxed many of the heavy duties
which had previously been imposed on French produce,
while France had
,continued to: maintain the 'most
stringent tariff *ith regard to the produce of 14:ngland.
We had greatly modified our tariff with regard to
French goods. We had lowered the duties on silks, we
had permitted the importation of raw silk, duty free,
we had placed the wines of France on the same footing
as_the wines of Portugal, and yet, in spite of the_ hostile
tariff of France, our exports to that country had in-
creased chitin the last twelve years from half-
a-million annually to five, millions, while- our , exports
to . all the rest -of the world, had diminished.
Then, on the other hand, let them look' at the Brazils ;
we had with that country a most favonrable treaty of
commerce—aone-sided treaty, in fact—and yet while our
exports to France 'had increased; in spite of the hostile
tariff, our exports -to Brazil had diminished, notwith-
standing the favourable treaty. Our exports to Brazil
had diminished one-half ; and why-? Bemuse we re-
fused to take the produce of Brazil in exchange—that
produce being the article next to corn the !nest necessary
to the comfort of the labouring classes--he meant sugar.
The supply of sugar was the same now that it was in
1811, while our population had increased. While the im-
portation of tea had increased by twenty-two niilliOns of
pounds annually, -while the importation of coffee had in-
creased by twenty-four millions of pounds annually, the
supply of sugar was the same as it had been in 1811. It
was' singular" enough that the nierchants of London and
Liverpool, the. persons who upheld the sugar monopoly,
should at this moment be petitioning the Parlia-
ment to reduce the duties upon tea—(Hear, hear)—
in order to. increase the consumption of it. , Did.,they
wish the people to drink, their tea without sugar, or did
they suppose, the ingenuity of. the ladies was to have no
end ?—(Cheers.) Their ingenuity had already been
sufficiently taxed ; and he would advise the 'gentlemen
of Mincing-lane 'and Liverpool, before they petitioned
the Government to reduce the duty on tea, 'to pass a re-
solution that itwould be also expedient to adopt measures
to secure an additional supply of sugar.—(Cheers,)
It. Was necessary_ for two purposes,—to procure forms a
supply' of sugar—to our
,manufacturing industry, the
largest and the best market in the world. The excuse
made by the Government for the exclusion of sugar was
singular. That party which, during fifty years, while the
whole philanthropy of the corn-growers was engaged in
efforts to shake of the shackles ofthe slave, had uniformly
opposed those efforts—(Cheers}—that party, at length,
when anti-slavery-could be made the excuse for mono-
poly, raised the anti-slavery cry.—(Cheers.) He did not
contend that any man was precluded from changing his
opinion.—(Cheers.) He had looked over the re-
cords of the House of Commons, and bad found
that the present Premier of the country had uni-
formly recorded his vote in favour of slavery.—(Cheers.)
If the Right Hon. Baronet chose to change his opinion,
he (Mr. Wilson) could have no objection; but when
those changes became so frequent, he could not con-
sider the opinion of the Right Hon. Gentleman as enti-
tled to be considered of much value.—(Cheers.) When
he considered this subject he could not but feel disgusted
at the delusive hypocrisy which had been practised on
it. But, after all, we did purchase the Brazil sugar.
We had sent out 114 ships to Brazils last. year; 21 of
them had returned with cargoes to this country; the
others had taken cargoes of cheap sugar and cheap coffee
to foreign countries. English ships, loaded with cheap
Brazilian sugar and cheap Brazilian coffee had arrived
at Trieste, at Antwerp, at St. Petersburgh, and other
neutral markets, thus supplying cheap produce to the
labourers of those countries who were to come into
competition with our own. If it was a sin to buy
equallythe
sugar of the Brazils, it was equally a sin
to supply them with the means of selling it. It was
a sin to refine it, to bring it to London and Li-
verpool and Bristol, to Iceep it there in bond, and to re-
export it to other parts of the world. But coffee was
equally a prochict of slavery, and yet they had reduced
the duty on coffee by the tariff, They had also reduced
the duty, on copper ore; 'that was
the
a product a
slavery, and nothing could exceed the cruelties which
were practised in Cuba on the slaves .employed in the
copper mines.

At this moment Mr. O'Connell entered the theatre,
and never did the walls of Covent-garden re-echo to
such an enthusiastic cheering as that which greeted the
Hon. and Learned Gentleman the instant he made his
appearance. The whole house rose en masse, and;
amidst the waving of hats and handkerchiefs, commenced
cheering. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman, who
looked exceedingly well, came forward and bowed re-
peatedly. After the lapse, perhaps, of five minutes,' he
took his seat. The cheering, however, continued as enthu-
siastically as ever from every part of the house. Nearly
a quarter of an hour had elapsed, and still the' cheering
continued, when, at length—
The CuAIXDIAN then announced that, on the conclu •
sion of Mr. Wilson's -speech, Mr. O'Connell would
address them.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. Wiisox then continued.—He would detain them
only a few moments longer. He would only impress on
them the huge importance of the subject they- were that,
night met to discuss.—(Hear, hear.).. He only wished to.
crave their attention once more to the efforts that-were
making to introduce these great principles into the
legislation of this country. Unfortunately for'
this country, they had hitherto found • that -its'
trading and commercial interests had not been al-•
together agreeable to the bulk of those to
whom the legislation of this country was entrusted.
In many other countries the pursuit of commerce was
considered an honourable calling ; in other countries,
not only princes and rulers, but nobles, fostered trade,
commerce, and manufactures ; here, and perhaps it was ,
lucky for them that it was so, trade and commerce had
been left to foster themselies.—(Hear, hear.) 'Had
trade and commerce been agreeable to ;be Legislature,
it would have been difficult to have found among 656
men, any who would have supported any Prime Mi-
nister in any proposition so absurd as that relative to
the Brazilian trade, ' which they had just con-
sidered.—(Hear, hear.) It would be difficult to Conceive
that so many men should have been elected to Parlia-
ment as 'the fittest for it, who could have aupported
such a proposition. ' He should not be able to find a
better illustration of the position he had stated, than
by tracing the history of, a pound of. that little, pure,
white plant, which was held by the owners or land in
this country in such Contempt, &OM its grawth to its
final destination.- Though it was nurtured and plucked
by the hands of slares—a circumstance he
was sure every individual present would as much
regret as the Eight Hon. Premier himself—yet the uses
to which it was -turned were not the less on that ac-
count a. series of
.benefits to the great human family.
When they considered, in the first. instance the magnifi-
cent navy employed in conveying it across the ocean ;
next the "merchant princei "
_engaged in disposing. of it
hare ; then the number of persons it employed in its
manufacture,. casting comfort around. the • hearths of
millions, till again converted into rags, ,and, again into
paper, they must, confess its
,importance. That paper
again stamped by the hind of 'intellect with the chit•
ratters of religion and civilisation; was again by' the aid
of ships. and commerce (lifted orer the Whole world.
The CITAIRNAW said, before tho Hou.'and Learned
Member for Cork addressed- the meeting, they would
permit him to say that the appearance of that Hon,
Gentleman among them-was by no means a new feature
Qn the pialfgrul th*Anti.C4nria,w League,,k-,;(eiteers.)
hey 4110 floor 410 an aggregate meeting of the League,
at Manchester at which Mr. O'Connell -was not present.
—(Cheers.) They had occasion to -thank him for the
consistent support he gave in the House of Commons to
Mr, Villiers' motion_ every _session that it was
ftlrlY4Pd i 4114 *Pr IllflilPf 141 ihaak hitui, because,
haapcHpied first 111auicipal chair of pithlin-7
(Oh eers),--a (14;putation frahrthe Auti-earh:Law-Lettio,
(Insisting of Afr. Bright, Mr. George Thompson—who
he was glad W see was then present—(Loud cheers)—

and Mr., Moore, went to Dublin for the purpose of
holding an anti-corn-law meeting; and that meeting
being held, Mr. O'Connell, then the Lord Mayor o
Dublin, presided over it.—(Cheers.) He begged, in the
name of the League, to thank him for his consistent
support of the principles of free-trade, and had now the
pleasure of introducing him to them.—(Cheers.)
Mr. O'CoxsrELL, M.P., came forward. His appear,
ance'at the table was the signal for a burst of enthusiasm
we never saw approached, much less equalled. The
whole audience rose, and, standing, continued to cheer
for several minutes. Having at last obtained silence he
said—lt was my intention when I came here 'to-night
to have made a very eloquent speech, but I find that
that part of the oratory belongs, to another. I there•
fore begin my speech by presenting to the League,
from a friend of mine who wishes to subscribe him-
self " X lover of jtistice"—one hundred pounds.--(Im•
'mense cheering, again and again renewed.) There is
sterling eloquence in that, and if you only get nine
hundred and ninety-nine others to do the same, there is
your hundred thousand pounds at once.--(Loud cheers.)
With giving the money I am afraid my oratory ceases.
—(Cheers and laughter.) For how is any human
tongue to give utterance to the sentiments of gratitude
and thankfulness with which my heart and soul are
filled at the present. moment ?—(Loud -cheers.). It is
said that my native Irish abounds with endearing
phrases that 'best express the sentiment of
gratitude, but it would be impossible for the
language even of the • most ‘aeraphic affection to
detail or describe the pride—the exultation and pride—
with which I witness my reception here to-night.—
(Cheers ) It is a generous thing, and therefore you
have dune it.--(Cheers.) If I have ever felt proud in
my life I feel truly proud of such: a reception.
There are circumstances at the present period, which,
without alluding further to them, I may say enhance my
gratification.—(Great cheering.)• I have come here
resolved strictly to observe that neutrality in
politics which belongs to this .struggle.-.-(Hear.)
But I may be permitted to say, because it relates to the
corn-laws, that the Duke of Buckingham and the Duke
of Richmond have begun to suspect that they may be
conspirators too.—(Cheers and laughter.) The Noble
Dukes have been to consult a sort of " white witch" in
the Temple, Mr. Platt, they call him, saying—" Good
Sir, pray tell us, are we conspirators or not ?"
(Laughter and cheers.) " No," says Mr. Platt, "you
are not."—(Laughter.) And I will tell you why they
are not ; they are not conspirators, because conspirators
always have a leaning to the popular party, and
they aro protection men.—(Hear, hear.) " No,"
says Mr. Platt, "you are not conspirators."—(Laughter.)
I would not advise them to try that question on the
other side of the Channel.--(Great cheering and
laughter.) Yes ; lam truly delighted with the recep-
tion I have met with—
" My bosom's lord sits lightly on his throne"—
and my heart exults at seeing such sympathy manifested
between the English and the Irish. I have told you
that I am delighted with your generosity towards
me ; and if there be one natural quality which
excels the manly generosity of Englishmen, it
is to be found only in Irish gratitude.—(Great cheer-
ing.) I compare the depth of one to the noble manli-
ness of the other. Your highly respected Chairman
has been good enough to introduce me to you by a short
reference, and he did me bit justice in saying that I
have been the perpetual friend of the Anti-Cum-law
League. I am a friend to it, not from preju-
dice or mere predilection—but from a thorough
and conscientious conviction that it is for the good
of the people. I was elected to the present Parliament
by two counties in Ireland, containing 1,100,000 inhabi-
tants—the counties of Meath and Cork. I represent in
Parliament 750,000 of an agricultural population. Now
I had no means of purchasing their votes—l had no
power of intimidating them—l had no landlord interest
to overawe their consciences. My election cost me not
a shilling ; and yet 1,100,000 people returned me to
Parliament.—(Cheers.) They all knew my senti-
ments with respect to the corn-laws. They
all knew I was the determined enemy of the
heavy tax on the bread of the people.—(Loud
cheers.) Knowing I have not only announced such to
be my opinion, but that I have given my reasons for it
so often, so convinced are all those people of the truth
of that opinion that this has been the result. They have
not attempted to hold a single corn-law meeting in
Ireland.—(Cheers.) Yes, they did attempt one meet-
ing, and they were defeated.—(Cheers.) Lord Mount-
eashel was there, poor gentleman—he was there, and
really he made out a most piteous case of it. Ho said
"We, the nobility, owe debts—we owe moneys—we have
mortgages on our estates—we:owe family charges." Well,
one of the crowd said, "Why don't you pay them ?"
(Cheers and laughter.) What was his answer ? Why,
" No, I thank you"—(Great laughter)—" I will not pay
them, but the working-classes of Englishmen shall. I
will maintain protection, and get a higher price for my
corn. lam disposed to be a good landlord, it I could
afford it ; but as I ewe money I must keep up my rents,
and sell my corn whore it must be bought at my own
price ; and by the high price thus extorted from the
working-classes, I'll pay my debts—when I choose,
There was only one proposition in his speech perfectl

' certain—that he would extort the highest price for kis
corn ; the other, the payment of his debts, remained
what the scholars call a paulo post futurum—a thing
that might happen at some time or other.—(Cheers and
laughter.) But, no later than yesterday, out comes the
Duke of Northumberland, and he says, in a proclamation
—(Laughter)--to his tenants, you must get up leagues
in favour of the corn•laws; for, says he, those exceed-
ingly conspiring wretches of the Anti-Corn-law League
tell you that if the corn-laws are abolished, you
will have cheap bread. Don't believe a word that they
say. Now, I don't believe him—(Cheers and laughter)—
and more, I think I can prove that ho don't believe him-
self.—(Cheers and laughter.) And would it not be a
mighty pretty thing to see a Noble Duke put upon the
table, and obliged to say he did not believe a word of
what he said himself ?—(Cheers.) And I will show you
he does not. Ile wants protection for corn—what is the
meaning of that ? Protection means the addition of 6d.
to the price of every loaf—that is the Irish of it.—
(Cheers and laughter.) If he had not protection for
the loaf that sells at Is., it might be bought
for 6d.---(Loud cheers.) Protection, then, is the
English for sixpence.—(Great laughter, and cheers.)
But it is worse than this—it is the English for an ex-
' torted sixpence. The real meaning of protection there-
fore is robbery.—(Great cheers.) It is a robbery by
the rich of the poor, for what signifies the quantity of
loaves that may be consumed in the Duke of Northum-
berland's establishment ; to be sure he pays the addi-
tional sixpence ; but not a thousandth part of the Duke
of Northumberland's expenditure consists of bread.
But the working mai with a family of children, or the
widow, pay nine-tenths of their means for bread. They
pay tenpence for every sixpence expended by him; and
he pockets the difference.—(Hear, hear.) But then he is
one of the mighty aristocracy of the land. He is
an exceeding great man—one whose shadow scarcely
dares to follow him.—(Laughter and cheers.) But there
might come another Leaguer--a man of a League for
making bread dear.--another protection man—another
robbery' man, and he says, " Oh, don't make bread
cheap—that would be horrible. It would cause less em-
ployment, and that would cause less wages." Well, let
us see how that is? If we had bread cheap we would
get it cheaper by getting corn from foreign countries,
where it is grown at a less rate. That corn cannot
be imported now. If it could be imported, for every
pound's worth of corn imported a pound's worth of mum-
factored goods would be sent to pay for it, and thoie nations
who had not the means of taking our manufactured
goods, then would have the means of purchasing them.
Thus, instead of lessening wages, free-trade would in-

crease employment, and whenever you increase that,
it is as plain as that two and two make four, that it must
increase wages. The . argument then totally fails. I
speak, as a representative of Ireland; if the corn-law is
of use anywhere it would 'be of use in Ireland', the agri-
cultural country--if it raised wages anywhere it would
raise them in Ireland, which is. a purely agricultural
country. Are wages raised
..in Ireland ? Unhappily
you can get a man to work there for 4d. a-day.—(Hear,
hear, and shame.) He thinks . him a beautiful
benefactor who pays 6d. a7day.—(Hearrhear.) .He is
delighted if he gets 8d..--:-(1-lear, hear.) There is a corn-
law for you. It is in full force in Ireland. It is doing
all that it'eau do for tiri? country in
,ithd sutfi
is the rate of wages, and what, is worse, there is even
very little employment at that. Ireland, therefore, will
not throw any impediment in your way in this parti-
cular. With Ireland you will have zo'difattlty. You
have Ireland heart and soul ,at yotir eide47(lmmense
cheering, the Whole of the audience rising, and continu-
ing the applause for some time)-r--and have I not
another example I can adduce to you at the
present moment
.We have present, the Honourable
Meraber. for Rochdale, lir. Sharman Crawford, -a • very
considerable Irish landed proprietor, N!eho, before he re',
presented an English :borough, represented part of his
native country, and who.was-a thorough Anti-Corn-law
Ikaguer long before he was Parlininent at Yoii
have, therefore the•good sense- and the spirit of lfreland
with you, and it Will feel no: small share of my gratitude
when it hears how you, have received nie
(Immense cheering.) The. sound nof that' shot: ivpi tick
suo,puld..
,tdiheroauguhyou7iththiins t4mee7rOpowilliiist-i(tCwhieell coitnteyed*will:
the easterly wind to the coast of Ireland7(C_heers):—

it will be heard re-echoing along the sunny banks of the