The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-09 00:00:00

PROPOSED FREE TRADE CLUB.'
By the following circular which we have received, we
are happy to observe that what has always appeared to us
a very desirable object is about to be realised. Free trade
principles have made such rapid progress of late, through-
out every part of the country, and among every class of
politicians and avocations, that a central metropolitan
medium of association has been much wanted; and, from
what has recently been apparent, it is not unlikely will be
more than ever necessary. The leading enlightened
pOliticians of the Liberal party in Parliament ;and in the
country hare given these principles, especially of late
years, their earnest attention, and among them are to be
found many of the most accomplished political economists
and free-traders. The speeches of such men as Lord Mont -
eagle, Lord Clarendon, Lord Howick, and Mr. Labou-
chere, are, in themselves, the most perfect specimens of
commercial legislative enunciations to be met with in the
English language ; but, while we say thus much, it has
often been made too plain that many of their professed
followers have imbibed but little either of their know-
ledge or their principles on these important topics—
topics on which every successful political movement in
this country must be based for many years to come. We
hear with great pleasure that the list is rapidly filling
up with applications, both in town and from the
country e.--
" Several of the most influential friends of free trade
he long felt it desirable that some means shoulit be
dyed for bringing into closer and more immediate con-
tact di those who are interested in procuring the eman-
cipation of British capital and industry from the unwise
restrictions which have been placed upon their produc-
tjye powers. They are aware that many dis-
Atguished advocates of commercial freedom are
spread over the country at great distances from
each other, and are anxious to have opportunities
of intercommunication, both for the purpose of
explaining the evils produced by monopoly in their
several professions and localities, and for concerting the
means of more effectually bringing their grievances be-
fore the Legislature and the country. They there-
fore propne to establish a Free-trade Club, which
shall supply, at moderate charges, all the usual ac-
commodations of a club; and, in addition, afford the
eulespiibers the advantage of a library of reference,
comprising the best works on social and economic
science, all the statistical documents connected with
the external and internal condition, not only of Great
Britain, but of all the foreign States with which we
have political or trading relations, and the various
documents issued by both Houses of Parliament. The
want of such a library of reference has been long felt by
every one interested in the eause of free trade; the col-
lection of it is obviously beyond the means and oppor-
tunities of many individuals, but is clearly within the
reach of an association such as that which is now pro-
posed.
" As this club is about to be formed for a specific pur-
pose, it must be well understood that no gentleman is
eligible as a member who is not opposed to all protective
and differential duties. To this principle he will be
pledged by his application to be admitted as a member":
" The following are the names of the gentlemen com-
posing the present committee:—
The Earl of Radnor. 'John L. Ricardo, Esq., M.P.
The Earl Ducie. Thomas Milner Gibson, Esq.
Lord Charles Fitzroy, M.P. M.P.
The Hon. Charles Pelham Richard Cobden, Esq., M.P.
Villiers, M.P. (James Wilson, Esq.
" As the object of this club is to associate as many
Free-Traders as possible, without reference to the profit
of any person or party, the entrance and annual sub-
scription will Ise fixed at as low a rate as is compa-
tible with securing the comfort and convenience of the
members.
" Office, No. 11, Parliament-street."—Economist.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS•

FROM T} EVENING PAPERS OP YESTERDAY.
STANDARD.—The Morning Chronicle has reprinted
from the Scotsman the following letter of Sir Robert
Peal, written many years ago, when the Premier was
Secretary of State for the Home Department :
" Dec. 2d, 1-Wri.
" Sir,--I am directed by Mr. Secretary Peel to ack-n.ow
ildge receipt of your letter of the 20th instant, containing an
(4,prit of the fraudulent proceedings of a person of the
of John Caldwell, late acting manager of the concern
°Holm, Caldwell and Company, manufacturers in Paisley,
who, it al2pears, has embarked at Liverpool for N'ew
and whose letters, addressed as you describe, you wish to-
obtain an order from the Secretary of State for being stopped
at the General Vast-office. And I am in reply to acquaint
von, that Ur. Peel never gives such orders, except in cases of
flagrant crime, nor to such an extent as to affect innocent
persons. He canon, ther'eflire, comply with your request,
because it does not appear that John Caldwell stands charged
with any criminal offence; nor do George Caldwell, or !his
-mother, the persons mentioned in your letter whose corre-
Bvondence youNvish to bedetained, appear implicated in John
Cal swell's frauds. I am,' &c.
Thil.,l letter, we think, marks very properly the liniits
within tv,lich the Home-otlice ought to act—and ought
.us once, to silence those who pretend to bave believed
;that post letLers were intiolable. The S'cotsmarrproceds
ask.of what .`lagrant crime was M. Mazzni accused ?
. qUOSnon we are not in a condition to answer, but
.shat. a very flagrant crime has. 1-xen committed Ihy
nsona with whom Mr. Maozini was in communicatiion
I;
Brit.-*h -rtain, namely, an invasion of .a friendly country filom
a
port ; the corpus &ilea is established boyiond
-and though Mr. Mazhini was doubtless
all doubt,
apa, nuilt-
-ticipation it—er he would not be no at
less of
p:rtieipation pubably :he flagrant crime
such the foreign ministers.
of w hi-eh he was .:'""ed by
:.serve that the' case of the nn aid
GLOBE.—we 0
e of
Danish chtimautth is o,:ee more to be brought under the
Coalitions to-morrow, by
consideration of the Hott..'
.-„`(r. Christie. If anything couid apravate the hard;•
rh_nial of justice, it is the
shli‘, of a thirty-seven years'
eondu-et of a number of members of the Tory p&iy,
who, h:aving always supported these claims against the
Tate Qd,v-e.Nment, kept away from the division, or v ted
against thtny, when they were brought forward last ear
by ar. Eawes. Mr. Creswell's annual motions use I- to
be annually
.cariied by considerable majorties, in w ich
';Cory Members always_greatly predomiratted but w en,
the Tories having.. come - intO power, the 1)a ish
laimgnts,of , hspe,•,, once again bro- ;flit
their case before the House of Commons, they d
my
ere
- beaten, to their' great surprise, by fifteen- vots; an
fifteet. members of the whole Tory party voted in the
minority which supported Mr. Hawes. Many may aver
been away by accident—we understand that the div sion
took place on that occasion very much earlier in the t en-
ing than hid been generally expected; but, on the her
.hand, ten. Tory members who had previ ouslysupporte l the
'claims then voted against them, and among the ten ere
five- members of the Government—Sir E. Knatc •ull,
-captain Boldero, Sir Frederick Trench, Mr. G. W.
~.:tiope, and the Hon. Charles Hope. Should not th- love
'. their own salaries, so strikingly evinced, hav• led
vies 9 gentlemen to think wattle more seriously I. the
impor.ant pecuniary interests with which theycave
played ?Or purposes of party ?
_•