The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-12 00:00:00

requiredhappen—either
fo r
t h e
rentterphehyrfiee
production
ooauat
fycienl
shocked
eaoi would be properly culti-
vated,
population ae and
oe the
would
oyu fromellabourersdxpbofeorrtaieexporting
fullyforeign
absorbed
manufactures,
agricultural
aoi e
ntnuodbehgfunymebftt
commerce
the
oeemtot
essuly:m.
rees
newspapers,
exports.—(Loud
detailsapcpi
labourer
horroftsui
rusof),
increased
free
;yf_eoearoun; ul
(d v
vanaL.werebonooouud
distressuul l
surplusdddlr
ask
wc feelhiei eetr‘hh:
h.eN)Ne, great r
see every
ea
eyba%e:
bapar-
ticularlyryea%sß,
eotthoematrgthe
osentehorr ibiansewrsiofnrkofcoofelmoebidmna
sdtezona,
shstetiohacsnseehoattitsr.ohosa:n of the year, is it not
time that something should be
season,ddyaeoisfn omdeu
enhtndao,
tradesmen's
relieve
dol
tti
houses,
fromee
ee
streets
t.
events
naot
syr
to day, in the same course of error, till we are roused
that occurred three years ago again renewed—when
starving
devoured
tolt
issave
not themselveswise
to
h e
alwaysfrom
depending ?—(Shame,
on
t the
shame.)
at
rmoaenn.gd)
arm of the law, and not on the contentment of the
people.—(Cheers.) Is it wise, is it rational, is it pru-
dent, when every season brings an increase of dan-
gers, not to avail ourselves of this precious moment
—not to avail ourselves of every influence, of every
privilege, of every right which we can bring to bear
in order to obtain that just and fair demand which I
am persuaded would so much improve the moral and
material condition of the people, and increase the
peace and prosperity of the country ?—(Cheers.)
Mr. COBDEN, M.P., then came forward, and was
received with the loudest demonstrations of enthu-
siam and good-will. After the cheering with which
he was received had subsided, he said,—Oh, I could
not help wishing, as I sat there, surveying this mag-
nificent spectacle, that all our friends who are scat-
tered over the length and breadth of the land were
here this night, that they might feel their pulses beat
in unison with yours, and look you face to face, and
join in the triumphant shout which augurs prosperity
to our good cause.—(Cheers.) We are here to-night
for business—l am almost sorry for it—for we have
many statistics which are not the most captivating to
the four thousand or five thousand persons assembled
together on this occasion ; and at this time I happen
to know we have a good many visitors among us
whom I am glad to see—many farmers from Smith-
field, who attempted, somehow or other, to smuggle
themselves in here.—(Laughter.) I am sorry I
cannot give a farmer's view of the question to-night,
but I ask them to look round on this assembly, and
let theni go, on the day after to-morrow, on Friday
—an ominous day—(Laughter)—let them wend their
way to Bond-street, and attend the meeting of the
Duke of Richmond's Protection Society.—(Laughter.)
Let them survey the scene there, and count an odd
Duke or so—(Laughter)—with perhaps a brace of
Earls, half-a-dozen of Members of Parliament,
and a score of land agents, and then, with
a vivid recollection of the present scene, let them
ask themselves which cause is likely ultimately
to triumph.—(Cheers.) Let them compare the two
scenes, and remember they are but types of the com-
parative merits if our two causes, and then let them
go home—let the tenant-farmer go home and attend
to his own business, and not look to Dukes or Acts
of Parliament to help him.—(Cheers.) Let him take
a corn rent, such as the sagacity of the Scotch
farmer secured to himself twenty years ago, when
he saw how things were likely to turn out. Let the
English farmer also secure himself a corn rent, cal-
culated at a certain fixed price of corn, as found
by the averages let him do so, and he
will be better employed than in listening
to the Duke of Richmond at the Protection So-
ciety, or going to Acts of Parliament. I believe
we have another visitor here to-night. I have had
put into my hand since I came here a little tract pub-
lished by the enemy. In the title page there is a
quotation from.the republican authority, Henry Clay.
I am glad they put this name on the frontispiece, for
let the working men remember (and this was ad-
dressed to the working men), that since this tract was
published, Henry Clay was rejected as the candidate
for the Presidency of America. He stood as candidate
for that high honour before 18,000,000 of free
citizens, on the ground of being the author and
father of the protective system in America. I
watched the progress of the contest with anxiety—l
received the newspapers by every packet—l saw the
accounts of their speeches and processions, and, I
must say, the speeches of Henry Clay and Daniel
Webster would do credit to the Duke of Richmond
or the Duke of Buckingham himself.—(Laughter.)
Their banners were inscribed with " Protection to
native industry," " Native manufactures and Henry
Clay." These things were addressed to the American
democracy, just as the protection societies speak to
you in this pamphlet ; but there millions of them,
voting in the ballot box, rejected Mr. Clay, and sent
him to retirement.—(Laughter.) Now I think this
Protection Society, if they have got a large stock of
tracts on hand, will be disposed to sell them cheap.—
(Laughter.) They might do for lighting cigars, very
probably.—(Laughter.) Well, what have you now
in London ? You have heard something of what is
doing below in the north, I think. I have seen
some signs, not of opposition, but something very
like what I call a diversion. You have heard of some
professed fessed
London.object
slightly Hon. Friend alluded
bgerenaetfitTnegetainlgargheereel,ashags
oN
the subject, and I
have a word or two to say on it. I have called it a
hfi having
personslgy ttohe
diversion, but it is rather an attack or charge made
against the victims of their own injustice. When in
Turkey, persons suffering under the tyranny of the
Grand Vizier, threaten to rise and avenge themselves.
It was an old trick of the Vizier to send persons
amongst the people, and to cry out that the bakers
were selling the bread too high, and that it would be
very desirable to nail the baker;' ears to the door-
posts.—(Laughter.) The monopolists have taken a leaf
out of the Turkish book. When there was great dis
tress in Manchester, there were persons who cried out
that it was the manufacturers who ground the faces
of the poor, and now, when the distress has come
upon the agricultural districts, the landowners meet
the farmers, and at their agricultural societies they
tell the farmers to lay out more capital, and to employ
the agricultural labourers. They tell them to drain
the land, but they never mentioned that they have
thoroughly drained their pockets themselves.—(A
laugh.) And when distress has invaded a large por-
tion of the most defenceless sex of your community,
I find a large and useful and respectful class of shop-
keepers, who deal in clothes, assailed by the monopo-
lists for grinding the faces of the poor needlewomen.
Now, I stand here as the advocate of the character of
those traders, and to fling back the charge on those
who thus assail them. I stand here to vindicate
Moses and Son.—(Laughter.) They were Christian-
like in comparison with those who assailed them.
There is this difference, however, between Moses
and Son, and those who affect to pity the poor
needlewomen. (Cheers.) If Moses and Son
buy cheap they sell cheap—(lmmense cheering)—
but it is not so with the landlords.—(Cheers.) They
sell even the bread of these poor women at an arti-
ficial and enhanced price.—(Cheers.) There has
been recently a society established for the protection
and employment of these poor women. They have
had several meetings—they have had meetings of
middle-women, and middle-men—of very, very mid-
dle-men indeed.—(Cheers and laughter.) They have
had several meetings, at which they did not fail to
accuse us of being the cause of all the evil which their
monopoly had produced.—(Cheers.) Mr. Villiers
has told you that we are accused of being cold-
blooded and uncharitable economists. I assert that
we are not uncharitable.—(Cheers.) I assert that
the economists are much maligned.—(Cheering.)
We have had lately in Suffolk a great meeting of
landowners and noblemen, and friends of the poor. A
large subscription for the relief of the unemployed
poor had been entered into, but I never heard what
became of the subscription.—(Cheers and laughter.)
Now I will venture to assert that one manufacturer
in Manchester has subscribed more money for public
walks and parks than has been subscribed at the
whole of the meetings in Suffolk.—(Great cheering.)
They call us economists and utilitarians ; but it is my
belief that the economists are the most charitable.—
(Cheers.) But if they are to live upon charity, do
not let them starve upon charity.—(Cheers.) I would
say, let the Government be so conducted that the
people may be enabled to support themselves by their
own labour.—(Cheers.) There are meetings every day
for all sorts of purposes but the right ones ; there are
meetings to give them everything but food.—(Great
cheering.) It is very easy for them to raise the cry
upon us that we are political economists, hut if they
come here they will see that we have a police looking
after them.— (Cheers and laughter.) It may seem
very hopeless indeed, but still I say that the govern-
ment of this country ought to be so conducted that
the people should be able to support themselves by
their labour.—(Cheers.) There has been a meeting
to day—indeed there are meetings every day—on all
subjects but the right one. There has been a meeting
to-day for the improvement of the health of towns.
Yes, they will give you an abundant supply of water
—they will give you air, ventilation, and wide parks
—but they will not give you bread.—(lmmense
cheering.) For my part, I will only say, " Give us
justice first, and let charity come after."—(Cheers.)
Remember, I do not charge them even with hypo-
crisy, but I ask them to do justice with this question,
and not to shirk it.—(Great cheering and laughter.)
I know that amongst the landed aristocracy them-
selves there are persons who are conscience. stricken
—who are in their hearts opposed to the corn-laws
—and yet who vote in support of them.—(Loud cries
of " Name.") Yes, I will—l will give you his
name—in truth, his name is Lord Ashlq, They