The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-10 00:00:00

- A , E r.rrj

OF THE

LEAGUE

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A NTI-c 4) F.;N-lAW

COVENT GARDEN THEATRE.

A general Metropolitan tneeting of the members of
the Anti-Corn•laa League was held last ev, ning in
the Theatre-Royal, Covent-garden. The doors were
opened at half-past six o'clock, and notwithstanding
the unfavourable stace of the weather, every part of
the theatre was crowded to excess long before the
eornmencement of the proceedings. Iteletel, :he thea-
tre was inconveniently crowded, and many persons
unconnected with the public press were permitted to
crowd into that portion of the house which has
hitherto been appropriated to the exclusive use of
reporters, where, by the pressure %i hich they created,
and by the incessant buzzing of cony Teethes which
they kept up, they were a source of serious annoy-
ance and inconvenience to those whose duty it was
to take notes of the proceedings.
At seven o'clock, F. Wilson, Esq , the chairman of
the League, entered the house, and was greeted with
reiterated plaudits. He was accompanied by Dr.
Rowring, M.P., R. Cobden, Esq., M.P., Colonel Pey-
ronnet Thompson,
Pox, Bee., George Thompson, Esq., W. J.
1 and several other influential members of
the League, who were loudly cheered as they ap-
peared upon the stage. Amongst those present we
observed :--George Wilson, Esq. (in the chair), the
Hon. Charles Pelham Villiers, M.P., John Bright, I
tsq't M.P., J. Stewart, Esq., M.P., Alexander Murray,
Pr
tessor Graham
—sage M.P., Major-General Briggs, Professor Key,
_ aughton (Broom -14..
, Dr. William Cooke Taylor, John
'LA Sunning-hill, Berkshire), The
_Cape, Dr. Bateman, Dr. Macdonnell, Captain Cogan,
Horton• Clarke, Esq., Mayor of Coventry, Messrs. John
(Lincoln), Bowring, jun., C. H. Lattimore
(Berkhatnpstead
William ), Abraham Bauer, George Brettle,
Leaf, N. Overbury (Westbury), William
Ta for Leavers, David Dewar, W. A. Wilkinson, P. A.
y, J.
o.ffer, R. A. Lyon, William Hargreaves, George
G. Welltord, P. Morand, E. Aranjo,
Lindsay Travers, J. Poulter, C. J. Baker, Press
for reng*T, H. L. Keeling, C. Gilpin, Shepherd Sand-
kfd (Little Mallingfield, Suffolk), Thomas Ball
(South
Shieldstlivesq ), W. Coxhead (Bath), H. Penny, J.
W.
F. Hardy, G. Hilditch, Clement Kemp,
w• K. Morris, J. Fenner, Charles Spiere, John SY-
-1,_41°148, Benjamin Clark, W. Robinson. C. Fox, Wil-
"4. In Ellis, H. H. Duff, James Waterman, Henry
Allen (Windsor), G.
(Arundel), J. Clode, jun.
11,,.ewItins, J. Fenwiek, Robert Weir, G. H. Ashurst,
',J.. P. Burnard, Henry
4.410 yd morgen, ..„.
d Stone, Town Clerk of Leicester,
Hull (ITxbridBe), Henry
Edward Smith (Sheffield), Edward Smith, Samuel
8ai1ey,,,,, Henry Scott, Henry Elkington, T. K
4Jitellard, T. Dyson, D. Miles, P. Mackenzie, M.
ylloolter W. Geeein, P. Douglas, W. E. Take, Jams*
t
.larnard (Colchester). George Ridout, Richard Bur-
dett, Richard Ware Cole, J. Biggs, ex-Mayor of
Leicester, Fitzherbert Bughy (Stepney College).
161. iluzlago (Azores), G. tx idge, T. Baldwin, A
Anderson, William Evans (Manchester), Malcolm
Ross, and Edward Walker (Manchester).
G. WILSON, Esq., then took the chair, and called
4011 the Secretary to read the minu-es of the las'
nutting.
The SECRETARY having read the minutes,
Dr. BOWEING, M.P., moved that they be confirmed
Mr. KAY, the Mayor of Manchester, seconded th,
it.
'notion, which was carried by acc 1 ion.
The CHAIRMAN then came forward, and wes received
With the most enthusiastic cheers. After the applause
had somewhat subsided the Hon. Gentleman spoke as
follows :—Ladies and Gentlemen, we have permitr
meeting and
1 greater length of time to intervene between t s
toe last than has usually been permittee
to elapse, in • accordance with our previous arrange
meats ; and although there can by no question that, a
to very remote period
stance would have been laid hold of by the mono-
P°lista as a proof of the declining state of the League.
a" Would have given rise to prophecies of our speedy
and utter extinction, yet I rejoice to say that I see no
4.,11,_eh sYnaptoma on the present occasion.—(Cheers.)
'4e Inonopolists have been silent on the subject. We
Ibay Meet frequently or only occasionally, or even
suspend our meetings altogether for a time, but de-
),n!Upon it enough has been done to instruct the
most ignorant, and to enlighten even the
r:st obtuse of the members of the Society for the
o°tection of Agriculture—(Cheers)—as to the folly
e
' neeiving that any change in the nature of our
public de
eau4.... irionstrations or any diminution of them,
: trect in the slightest degree the action which the
Will exercises on the public mind, and which it
cern_rntinne to exercise and to increase, until the
we•
are aws shall be entirely abolished.—(Loud cheers.)
met here
eVent CO which for the last time previous to at.
been directedl4 ich a great deal of public attention has
further ; and which will have the effect of stil
cent* propagating our principles throughout th•
Now, iYi---1 mean the Anti-Corn-law League Bazaa.
or
this any one thinks that from revious exhibitions
a description he P
idea to
that which
we can form the slightest idea te
deceives himself.
Propose(el to hold here, he grossl.
will notmeteers.) In the first place our:
be a mere
not
rc,'P°litan exhibition. It wil
be a mere provir •
every sense
of
the
wotrdeu exhibition. It will be i:
Coe— (Loud eheers)_ina strictly national demonstra•
the T.
—eagne--(Cheers)
(Cheers)nand respect One worthy ce
'notion of which the Le—a
n of the cause for the pro-
newed cheering.)
we tie, was establish,d.— (R'''
eontributions of course have the usua'
which are a
asses i but, in addition, generally exhibited at ba-
title , We shall h
us fats
ever • have special contri-
'(Cheers ) y town in the kingdom of any mark.
and
Leicester,
. • We shall have lace
.o
Sheffield from Nottingham
hish „ and Birmingham will fur
C `lll with hardware.
orawnit ;
~hewl We shall have minerals from
Prednetien lode:
,fronl Paisley. Every variety
of
!et, aUfacturere tne ingenuity and industry of the
Lnere, in of England call into exertion will be
exhibit.addition to all that is usually contributed tt
I ions of a• •
I en, i...__
.0 u similar character.—(Loud cheers.)
y,. tioi;eeofta
fund
were the mere object we had it
r a general gu.amount might be procured by means
alee by this e amount
than we shall be likely It
:lire the
ii:nexririzion. But what we want is to se
4,4,r Measures
wahco-opf.ration of those in supportine
°la than _ °se co-operation will be more valu-
(Ch an'
..Y attou
eel%) .w. ut of money we may procure.—
to frienti froe want to see assembled in this theatr,
to • 4 m
ef.Rye 1.1, all parts of the kingdom. We want
_eel „,_
ceaferr* an
opportunity of conferring together:
each Ing with
1,
other L
1' the,e, ---( 0 one another—of knowing
od cheers)—and we think that
lit -, xnee_
%Pettis to ou t's we shall give an additional
we
h iodivida r cause, and double the resolution of
we !lave ill view tO Promote the grand object which
thino.nve the Le,w•-•:-(Loud cheers.) At the same time
*hi% "Iltar Vii?lrg satisfaction of knowing tree
o our
us , not interfere in the slightest degree
lest us
course of
0,11,,t the al
will be operations.—(Hear, hear.)
'gate •Ther.oultur 1 diffusing knowledge through-
-11341 1114 the da • districts as usual.—(Cheers.)
deep (Cheera) afly meetings of the council as
ul (Cheers to
our -lnd the strictest attention will be I
ye sierie;_,_ !egistration proceedings as usual.—
`ll differe:seering.) Our regular agents will visit
the ' boroughs and counties for '
plee, Would if this purpose,
or . ere......_ ish no such .
h exhibition were taking
14 Pinion
of iks eel's.) There is not a single wheel
eon the _t e machinery of the Lea !h. h '
tisintieluto°at perfect order, and wile' I lc
ills not
i not
tttinled to it be a°, as much as if our attention con-
4ptior, f
0, exclusively, without sus ense
I teeed
fr n the proce cl. here, p or inter-
to tie fee a fort • e trigs ere. We shall thus
ihteola andight in arresting public attention
tho,:lel theatre,solirt•o the cause which this bazaar is
tZi, t frie....,_
w. 0 and it must be satisfactory to
ttli
.ni. fayo__ _. h seven years ago were without
Is nowe to r_r lu the country, and who assisted at
teal become _
omay the foundation of this Lea ue which
%jstwera eve the greateB and most influeriemost
01sfxt:_y ever known in this country— itmustn ae
be.
44N17ere.. to th.ese men to know that their t
e_d 4Peotations
t 11 of support from the peoplemost
sen 014 XP€otati of Support from the people are
altslre than realis d (I
eeri this evenin •e . eoud cheers) The
s_ . 0e.,...._,_0_ g will be Mr. Cobden---(lmtnense
1411 e. pot
,t,..,:. lonel will
cheers) d
IQ: will at (Cheers. I will not detain —an
see,s_o I once cal upon my Gallant you longer,
0-I,:a 'to address yu. _Friend Colonel
--(Loud cheers.)
10471 nel P. 'runup
hill pat enthusias so; who was received with the
la,,ltniurit in, supposed that it was in virtue of
ea.) Y that he had b •
AIS this was no Governs
been pue forward.—(A
o Grovernment procession, he

saw no reason why the youngest should go first.
Eighteen years ago—
" True 'cis pity—pity 'tis 'tis truf.,"

eighteen years ago he was exerting himself alone in
this grand cause. Nine years he was doing what
one man could do to oppose in the House of Com-
mons that arrangement of the existing Government
by which the interests of the English Church were
bound up up with a continuance of the corn-laws.—
(Cheers.) All would not do, however, and he was
cashiered on the first opportunity.—(A laugh.) Had
he had a fair chance, as other men had, he might have
been alive still, and of service to them now. It was
not him they saw before them, but only his wailing
ghost —(Laughter.) He had been assassinated seven
years ago in blarylebone.—(Cheers and laughter.)
That gas a long story, and not to the present ques-
tion. But he was assassinated there, and some would
find it so to their cost. When that was the way in
which the people paid those who led them, no wonder
if, year after year, they found a difficulty in carrying
popular questions. But he brought no ill omen there.
He brought rp.,thing but what wa. favourable He
had been recently visiting their pld and tried friends
in Scotland, who were as hearty as ever, nay, heartier
than ever in the cause..—(Loud cheers.) Their

Scotch friends knew, as well as they themselves knew.
that the time was fast approaching when their came
would he trumphant. Their friends were multiply-
ing everywhere. Their enemies were falling before
them; or, better still, they were joining them,
(Loud cheers.) Look at the Premier.—(lmmense
cheering.) How much was he worth ?—(Renewed
cheering.) Let them take note of his actions and his
sayings. He saw that opposition was so foolish and
so hopeless that, like a man of prudent character.as he
was, he was only looking round to secure a safe port
in time to put into it.—(Cheers and laughter.) And
with him would come all those special waiters upon
Providence who considered him as their God, the
Eolus, and who, whatever wind he blew, were ready
to make sail before it.—(Loud cheers) Their
enemies were working for them.—(Cheers.) All
that men could do to forward their cause their enemies
were doing.—(Cheers.) They themselves could not
do more than their enemies were doing for them.—
(Cheers.) He had told his friends in Scotland that
if they had paid their enemies to adopt that course
which would most promote the cause of the League,
and had laid down for them the course they were to
adept, they could not do it half so well
as their enemies were doing it for them.
—(Hear, hear.) Let them look at the
recent debates—grease, and lard, and butter—those
were the things which had engaged the attention of
statesmen on the monopolist aide of the House.—
(Cheers and laughter.) The great questions of na-
tional interest had dwindled down into such smoky,
greasy things as these.—(Renewed laughter.) He
had told their friends in Scotland that when they
brought the little boys into schools, and instructed
them in the use of various things, they should ask
them, among other things, what Government was for,
and the little fellows should be brought to pipe out
in answer—to put tar in our butter,—(Cheers and
laughter.) He had been to Scotland to invite their
friends there to make contributions to the bazaar ;
and some men had said to him, what is your particu-
lar concern in tlis busires= ? How do you earn your
livelihood ? lie answered, that it was aforaging party,

tn'] why should not he take charge of a foraging
party, if he were asked, as well as any other ? And,
strange to say, they liked his foraging party, and
they gave contributions according to their produce.
Some gave yarn, some g.ve bed -ticking, some gave
minerals.—(Cheers.) At Newcastle they gave coal.,
which it had been agreed should be sold from the
sample. Tickets should be printed fir the bazaar
ir ten chaldrons of coals; and why ladies should
not sell these tickets for coals, he could not under-
stsnd. Depend upon it that nothing could he given
hut that they would have ingenuity enough to find
the means of disposing of it. One man had pro-
mised to send them a Shetland horse, forty inches
nigh. Now he proposed that this horse should
ilppear at the bazaar, and that over him there
should be this motto, "This is what men and horses
ome to, when they can't get corn."—(Loud cheers,
and laughter.) Now there was more than a jest
sanging upon that horse. The inhabitants of the
Shetland Islands maintained themselves by the pro-
luce of their fisheries, which they send to Spain and
Portugal ; and if they were permitted to bring home
•orn, instead of being unable, as they were now very
'r(-quently, to obtain bread t) eat, they would have
In ample supply of it. The corn of the Shetland
rslanda was so bad that it had been suggested that it
night be possible, if they went quietly to work, for
them to be able to obtain for the Shetland Islands
the same privileges as the Channel Islands now en-
joyed, and which had been obtained in some degree
through the interference of their friend Dr. Bowling—
(Cheers)—for the Isle of Man.—(Renewed cheers.)
The course was the same in Shetland as in London.
The hardship was equal in both places. Restriction
was as hard at Lerwick as in London. It was felt
the same in Manchester. Now, 100 pair of hands
were employed in a factory as it was in the Shetland
cottage by the fisherman's wife, who sat knitting in
solitude those shawls which could not be sold to pro-
cure her family bread. The only difference was,
that while Shetland was small, London was large, and
as they were larger and possessed greater strength
so they should aid the weaker, and make contribu-
tions in proportion to their greater means. They
should aid that bazaar which was to be raised in
their own metropolis, so that their friends might say
that never yet had there been such an exposition of
the produce of British ingenuity and British genius.
For he knew well that although those who were
here assembled were perfectly aware of the magni-
tude and importance of their cause, yet there were
ome who were outside barbarians who required in-
Formation on the subject.—(Cheers.) And he be-
.ought all of them, when they went forth from that
souse, and returned to their homes, to become mis-
sionaries of the truth, and see how long it would be
before they would stimulate their friends and convert
their enemies, so that their power should be irresis-
tible.—(Cheers.) He understood that they were to
have some unexpected aid that night, and he, as an
old servant, would not detain them longer, but would
et once make way, to afford them a taste of that
which was new.—(The Gallant Colonel then retired,
tmidst loud and long-continued cheering.)
Mr. COBDEN then came forward, and was received
with the utmost enthusiasm. He said, that he had
tbund himself unexpectedly seated beside a gentleman
who in times past had been a consistent and strenuous,
but conscientious and amicable opponent of their
_rood cause.—(Hear, hear.) That gentleman was
largely connected with agriculture.—(Hear, hear.)
Not only did he farm himself above 3,000 acres of
land—not only was he connected as agent with some
f the largest proprietors in the kingdom, but he him-
self W3S a large landed proprietor.—(Cheers.) Mr.
rTaughton had been examined before the Parlia-
mentary Committee of 1836, and he (Mr. Cobden)
was happy to say that Mr. Haughton had maturely
considered this question, and that he was prepared
hat night to address a few words to that meeting—
(Cheers)—to explain, if explanation were necessary
'o them and to the country, the grounds on which he

eid seen reason to alter the views he had fo merly
,wertained upon that subject. He begged to be *l-
owed to introduce Mr. Naughton to the meeting.
Mr. HAUGHTON then came ferward, but for a few
minutes he could net obtain a hearing, so tumultuous
.vas the applause which greeted him. When silence
was somewhat restored, he said, that it had been said
by one of the greatest men that the world had ever
seen figure upon its stage, that men and women were
merely players. He (Mr. Houghton) little thought
that he himself should be a performer upon these
boards.—(Laughter and cheers.) He little thought
that he should there address such an assemblage upon
such a subject —(Cheers.) He had been for 20 years
the steady supporter of protective duties. He did sup-
port them conscientiously and firmly. It would
not be necessary for him to take a review of his past
adherence to those principles, in the same manner
that Opposition Members in the House of Commons
reviewed the past labours of the sessit n.—(Cheers.)
But he would acknowledge that he had supported
the system of protection which had now extended
over a period of thirty years. He would give them
his reasons for abandoning the sinking ship when she
was no longer sea• worthy.—(Cheers.) They might,
perhaps, be aware that not only WAS he a large land-
lord himself, but that he also had a great quantity of
property in charge, and it was only from a thorough
conviction—from a consciousness that it was his duty
—that he did what he could to bring about the con-
summation of this great principle.—(Loud
cheers.) He would first of all ask of any
of his brother farmers who might be present
how the protective laws had been of service to them ?
—(Cheers.) When the .law was first passed in 1815.
they were told that the price of wheat should be 80s.,
yet, in 1822, it was found that the half of that money
was all they could obtain. In 1825 it was found per-
fectly impossible to carry out this law, so great was
the famine that prevailed in the country, and Mr.
Canning thought it his duty to go down to the House
?f Jommons and let wheat out of bond without pay-
ing any duty at all. In the year 18:35 he was one of
the parties examined before the House of Commons,
and it was then complained that 353. was all they
could get. In 1840 there was a different state of
things to be brought about—(Laughter and cheers)—
sir Robert Peel was brought into power, and he said
that he could insure the highest rate of wheat to the
I farmer. He could assure him 565, They were at