The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-25 00:00:00

LEAGUE

AT bIANCHESTER.

(FRODI oun OWN REPORTER.)

The following is a more complete report of this
important meeting than we had space for yesterday
morning :

MANCHESTER, TUESDAY, IT ALF-PA ST FOUR.
Manchester aid Ml.nebester men have spoken out
nobly en the questitn of free-trade—in a manner which
cannot fail to strike terror into the ranks of the monopo-
lists. It will be recollected that two years ago a meeting
was held in the Manchester Town-hall, when Fourteen
Thousand Pounds were subscribed in a few hours. The
Sun was the first to publish that " great fact." To-day
more than four lines that amount has been subscribed i❑
an equal space of time.
One of the mosti nfluential meetings ever known in this
town was held to-day at the Town-hall, for the purpose
of adopting the necessary steps for raising the sum of
250,000/. for the purposes of the League—i. e., to " libe-
ralise" the county electors.
The meeting was held in pursuance of a requisition
signed by the following gentlemen :—Mr. Cobden, M.P.,
Mr. Bright, M.P., Mr. Marsland, M.P., Mr. Walker,

M.P.,Mr. Watkins, mayor; Aldermen Ksfrshaw, Walker,
Mayson, Boyd, Armitage, Potter, and Harvey; Messrs.
Maley, Brooks, Munn, J. B. Smith, Henry, Brickley
Whittaker, Matley, T. 'Thomson, George Wilson, R. H.
Greg, Henry Ashworth, E. Ashworth, P.R. Arrowsmith.
W. Bickham, W. Rawson, W. Evans, T. Whitehead, T
Taylor, J. Wrigley, J. R. Barnes, Barnes, jun., J
Barrett, E. P. Thompson, J. Simpson, E. Hall, H. Ban-
nerman, J. Acton, W. R. Callendar, Nathan Lees, J
Scholefield, A. Prentice, John Harding, T. B. Putter,
T. Woolley, R. A. Thicknesse, Wigan; J. Midgeley,
Rochdale; W. Morris, C. Potter, Darwen; J. Graham,
S. Lees, N. Heald, T. Bright, E. J. Kay Whitworth, R
Platt, Staleybridge; E. Grundy, Rusholme; W. Alcard,
Warrington; R. Stuart, H. Rawson, T. Ashton, W. Ross,
J. Whitworth, J. Gallemore, J. Cheetham, J. Hoyle,

Rochdale; T. Booth, Rochdale; J. Petrie, Rochdale.
The meeting, which comprised many of the leading
merchants, bankers, manufacturers, and traders of Man-
chester and the surrounding towns, though held at the
early hour of 11 o'clock precisely, was most numerously
attended, the spacious hall being densely crowded from
the very commencement of the proceedings. Robert
Hyde Greg, Esq., took the chair.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said—
Gentlemen, if my feelings meet with any echo in your
breasts, which I am c',nvinced they do, you will think
with me that we are met here to-day, in this most in
teresting, anxious, and unprecedented crisis of affairs,
rather to back up the resolutions of the League, which I
will read to you, than t'..) go through any formal course
of proceedings, by making, speeches or otherwise. Tee
resolutions to which I refer were contained in a circular,
of which the following is a copy :
" At a special general meeting of the Council of the
National Anti-Corn-law League held in Manchester, on
Saturday, the 13th of December, 1845,
"It was moved by HENRY MARSLAND, Esq., M.P. ;
seconded by R. H. GREG, Esq. ; and resolved unani-
mously—' That from the altered position of parties in the
House of Commons, in reference to the repeal of the
corn-laws, it is desirable to rescind the existing resolu-
tion against petitioning this present Parliament, and that
this meeting recommend that petitions be sent from
every town and district in the kingdom, as numerously
signed as possible, praying for the total and unconditional
abolition of the corn and provision laws.
" Moved by JOHN BRIGHT, Esq., M.P.; seconded by
R. WALKER, Esq., M.P.; and resolved unanimously—
' That a subscription of a quarter of a million sterling
be immediately commenced to meet the present emer-
gency. That a call of twenty per cent. thereon be forth-
with made. That a public meeting be called in the
Town hall, Manchester, fur Tuesday, the 23d December
instant, for the purpose of giving effect to the foregoing
resolution.' "

Gentlemen, I think you will agree with me that we are
met here to-day, in this extraordinary crisis, rather
fur the purpose of backing the resolutions I have read
by our deeds—(Loud cheers)—than for discussing them
in words; and as we have on former occasions cashed
the cheques which the League has drawn upon us, for
2,000, 10,0001, 50,000/., and—two years ego—for
100,0001.—(Loud cheers)—so, now that they have
thought fit to draw upon us another cheque, for
250,0001.—relying upon us that we shall accept their
draft, and that it wilt be 'laid when at maturity—(Loud
cheers)—we will not deny them that confidence we have
shown on former occasions.—(Vehement cheering.)
Gentlemen, when we think of the very great services
the League has rendered by their unwearied struggle
during seven years—with the prejudices against them
s i
of the greater part of the mercantile and manu-
facturing opposition, even to open
violence
I say, when we recol-
lect these things, we must he filled with admiration now
we are about to see their efforts crowned with complete
ence of classes—with
se—
owphetr a t theves
uccess.—(Cheers. ) And if from the body of the League
we turn our eyes to its leaders, we must say that their
sacrifices of time, and health, and every comfort in life
—services which they have never alluded to themselves
.......(Cheers)—are such as we cannot, and which the
country can never forget.—(Cheers.) If we reflect upon
this, and upon the consummate skill and upon the bail
liant talents they have displayed from the beginning of
this contest, we must be filled withthe deepest gratitude.
Gentlemen, this is an important appeal, m.d I hope it
will be met as it ought to be, and we shall then be secure
of triumph. But, Gentlemen, until that time we must
not be caught napping. We must not fly from the
helm, as some other parties have done on a late occa-
sion.—(Hear.) It is clear that the termination of our
struggle cannot be far distant ; if any one doubts it,
let him put the heartier hand to help it forward.—
(Cheer-.) The very uncertainty that prevails on this
question, and the mischief that results from it, must
make every one desire its end. If any one doubt the
desirability of putting an end to this law, let him look
at the result of that uncertainty ; let him look at the
state of the money mat ketat the panic in railway
affairs—(Hear, hear)—let him look at the circumstances
of a famine actually existing in the sister country, if not
in this, and at the same time the price of bread rising,
and the ports the more firmly closed the more the ne-
cessity becomes apparent for opening them.—(Cheers.)
Let us, then, gentlemen, stick to our standard, and de-
pend upon it in a short time the whole country—every
interest and every Mass—will feel and join with you, and
call, in one universal voice, for the immediate repeal . of.
the corn and provision laws.—(Loud cheers.) Gentle-
men, I will not detain you longer, but call upon Mr.
Wilson, Chairman of the League, to give you an ab-
stract of the Treasurer's account in connexion with the
100,0001. fund.
Mr. WILSON CAMP forward amidst loud cheers, and
said he had been instructed by the Treasurer to present
his accounts ;' and as it was desirab'e, before gentlemen
committed th,tuselves to a new subscription, they should
know what had been done with the money already paid,
he would request the patient attention of the meeting
while he read the statement put in his band. He then
read the two statements following ;
LEAGUE FUND, £lOO,OOO.
Dr
(A)
-
January 1, 1845. To balance on band ...... 4,26,675 19 9
December 6. Subscriptions and Bazaar re-

ceipts to this date ................................. 35,678 8 10
To discount and interest received this year... 820 411

£63,17413 6

expenses
Cr.
s., sundry
cts,
incidental
83,4., distribution
distributorso,fetarrare,inilieleu. din g
.........
By expenses of furniture and fi.xtures ......
By deputation expenses, including travelling
expenses to attend meetings and Parlia-
mentary elections in various parts of the
United Kingdom ........
By grants to local Free-trade Committees „,
By general salaries of office-staff, including
all employed in London
. and Manchester
weneektlli;
Igvaegneesr,al&cb.,usknee.ss of the League,
..............
Byo
ffipcoes postage-stamps and
e-tat3n.d cashpo s taangde
expenses, including repairsand alterations,
coals,
cleaning, Ste•••• .... ••••••••••••••:...„ ..,
By expenses of/ meetings, including hire of
roon s, erecting hustings, and. all other
expenses connected with public meetings
By salaries arid expenses of lecturers, includ-
ing travelling expenses, &c. .... ! ........... N. .
By rents, taxes, and, gas
, inclunn g rent of
Covent-gar&ti Theatre, ;rouse and offices,
London and Manchester
By stamped publications, printing and sta
tionery, reporting, &c. Sgc .........
By bazaar expenses, including wages of per-
sons employed during the bazaar, fitting
.up Covent-gargen 1 heatre, and general
expenditure in advertising, printing, tra-
velling expenses, &c. ie. ....................
of registeal
By expenses of League newspaper, in..
eluding salaries of conductors, editor,
and contributors, stamps, paper, and
printing ................. • ... .£11,388 ' i
Deduct receipts for casual sale 1,227 6 3.
By registration expenses, including salaries
expensesexpenses, Wages of
stationery,
ettirineairvike :a: igtplegrii,tistzdgleoagtnalilder
expenses
in registration courts, and general expenses
on registration business ...............
Balance ou hand ............................. ......