The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-26 00:00:00

GREAT

AN TI-C OR N-L A W LEAGV
MEETING

AT COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE•

The Anti-Corn-law Leagues a held its usual mouthli
meeting last evening at the Theatre Royal, Covent:
garden. The theatre having been fitted for
Jullien's concerts, the pit was boarded over, and aceeel
modation was, consequently, afforded for a much greater'
number of persons than could have been accommodate:
had it been fitted up in the usual manner. The orchestr,
was thrown into the pit,, thus affording ---additiel
means of accommodation ; and the reporters, who 11'1
heretofore been located in the orchestra, were seated at
tables running along the front of the stage. The Char
man and speaker took their places in M. Jullien's raise'
orchestra.
t si%
The doors of the theatre were opened at half-pas
o'clock, and within ten minutes the theatre was crow"!,
to suffocation in every part. The members of the League
availed themselves of the increased room afforded by .tf,,
boarding over of the pit. There was not even standa,t
room at a quarter to seven o'clock. This was one of 10'
largest meetings ever held in the metropolis.
At seven o'clock precisely G. Wilson, Esq., the Chairi
man of the League, took the Chair, amidst the
acclamations of all present. T. M. Gibson, Esq.,
Dr. Bowring, M.P.; Hon. Edward Bouverie;
hams, Esq., M.P.; Hon. C. P. Villiers, M.P.; 11,.eL▪
f.
Burnett ; and W. J. Fox, Esq., entered with the 1-11"-
man, and were received with loud cheering.
.
Among those present we observed D. Christie; Esqti.
C. Thompson, Esq. ; J. Pattison, Esq. ; Arthur rst„..
son, Esq.; J. Potter, Esq., Manchester; B. Barnes, E.,011;
W. A. ilkinson, Esq. •, David Carr, Esq. •„,,,m.
Macleod, Esq. ; John Anderson, Esq. ; W. A. '.1.11,;
son, Esq.; J. Cox, Esq.•, Wm. Adam Smith, Esq.;
Le Breton, Esq. ; 'T. Wadsworth, Esq. ; W. Pye, Escl.,rt,▪ ;
Smith, Esq. • D. Shephard, Esq.; Sir W. Baynes,l3s,r,
0. Wilcock, Esq.; W. Thornborrow, Esq.; Thos. Sh,s'i,
Esq.•, Charles Davy, Esq.; Henry Lloyd Morgan.,
Ed a;
W. Geesin, Esq. ; Richard Ware Cole, Esq. ; baw-c,a;
Edwards, Esq. ; George Ridout, Esq. ; Dr. Siocsq,;
Dr. Girtin, Joseph Phelps, Esq.; J. P. Burnam], 4,e,
W. Hewitt, Esq. ; David Aumonier, Esq. ; Rif ra,
Esq.; A. Fox, Esq.; F. T. Purday, Esq. ; J. Crocklepp
Esq. ; David Price, Esq. ; George Beacon, Esq.) larks,
Cooke Taylor; Francis Place, Esq. ; Cowden 1;r80
Esq.; Cummings, Esq. ;J. Welford, Esq. • Jam.;
Fordate, Esq. ; Bicknell, Esq. ; Sir John East
James ilson, Esq.; S. Harrison, Esq.; Professor ha
P. A. Taylor, Esq.; Effingham Wilson, Esq.; and de
Adolphus,,Esq.
The SECRETARY having read the minutes of the ,
meeting, they were adopted, upon the motion of the ge
Mr. Villiers.
The CHAIRMAN then rose, and 'said he had no Pitt:
that the first question which would suggest itself to to
present meeting, and to every friend of free trade, we„tc•
be what had been done by the League, and what r $ll
gress they had made in this great cause since theitd
had last assembled within those walls. He wouldolil
them what had been done. In the first place, it Wt
be unnecessary to state that the corn-laws had newt
yet been abolished—that the Duke of Bucking.ther
had not as yet joined the League—(Laughter)—,,aiewlatd
had the Duke of Richmond ; and that Sir zuicha(
Knatchbull still advocates the necessity of uPhe
the system which supports mortgages, and enables
set,
aristocracy to endow their daughters with marriage 01
tlements.--(Loud laughter.) He might also stet..,e,oo,
Colonel Sibthorp—(A laugh)—had given the 1000
,10
sum of 501. to the Pro-Corn-law League.", 00
laughter.)4 In opposition to those facts he Coal" 01
that the Anti-Corn-law League had been obliged t4.).4
up with a subscription of only 5001.—(Loud laugh"theo
from a Nobleman who was rich enough to beY,,,r,/,
altogether—he meant the Marquis of Westmills:blii
(Loud and long continued cheering.)advantages,They 111.:10.,
had some meetings, and gained many alantageso
he was sure the meeting would agree with ni,f/esty
neither be overlooked nor considered lightly. rpoo
In the first place, they had had meetings at Liire,oo
when a sum of 4,600 L had been raised for the Great 146:0`601,
Fund, which sum was subsequently raised to oh°'
Then they had a meeting at Ashton-under-Lyne ti they
rough about seven miles fromManchestef. A. 'serf
meeting speeches were made by the Hon. gr. 0 the
Mr. Cobden, and other members of the Conne,,bi pre',
League, and 540 L was raised, which, with 3,Bav_heeeki
viously subscribed, amounted to 4,3ool.—{Loud
Next, a meeting was held at Leeds, over vrai'd
Mayor of the town, Mr. Stansfield presided, 0.004
dressed the meeting. Messrs. Marshall, the large.; ibe
nnfacturers in the kingdom, gave 800/. to hegliorli
League Fund with—(Loud and long-continuedriag'
' being 500/. for the firm, and 300/. for the senior Pt se
—(Renewed cheers.) They then had a meeting 11;4"
lifax, in Yorkshire, where 2,300 L was subsell
(Cheers.) The next was a meeting at Hudder; fios
where 2,2001. was collected. At Bradford, 2,0001. to
collected. Several small villages in Lancashire'etiPt
names of which he would not now trouble the nleotlil
with, had also liberally subscribed. Then there
r
town of Bolton, so well represented by his Hon. „i 4
Dr. Bowring—(Cheers)—where 1,200/. had been rev
in an incredibly short time for the League Fund. Thelerbi'
had several meetings in the Midland Counties, at n
gabs
Leicester, and Nottingham. At Derby 1,200/.105,
scribed, then, at the next meeting at Leicester, ifoi
,
was collected, and at Nottingham a sum of 580' ore
subscribed to the League Fund. Then, at Buriderefer
other small place in Lancashire, 100/ was paiooP
to the Fund, and again, at Oldham, upwards of "611,.1
was subscribed. At Todmorton, a small village' we
were given to the League Fund. From the t) is re;
Colnbrooke Dale, in Shropshire, a. county which
presented by the " twelve apostles "—(A ,ref,'
sum of 400 L was collected. 'The Chairman then fro°,
the names of several small towns in Laneasllll`42ool,l
which various small sums, averaging from 501' tf
were collected for the same great national purpose'
Stroud the sum of 558/. was sent to the League gotirej:
deputation, consisting of Messrs. Cobden, Brlej'etlsil
Colonel Thompson, and other; proceeded to 'F ~e sac
and there their endeavours were crowned with 1/)‘ chsif
cess. At Glasgow the Lord Provost took thel..oo
at the Anti-Corn-law meeting, and a sum of VIA
subscribed for the fund. In Edinburgh, ,e' rd
meeting being called, the Lord Provost also. tr,n/11'4
chair, and 1,5001. was collected. At Dundee
subscribed, at Leith 350 L, and at Paisley Aga tee
facts, then, were indisputable evidence of theLP
pob
which this great question was making in ords,
mind. It was a proof that a new compact an 0 tr",
meat had been entered into between the yarioe f
hers of the League in Scotland and the North °to
land, and that they had pledged thernselveS e
other, and this meeting, that so long as tile/ rev
blessed with health, so long would they Ye ask
in the course they were now pursuing'fibie:t•
withstanding the calumnies and vituperatitt,
might be poured out against the ebLtifll7)
the League. They had been told that W-04_.„
as had been their progress, yet that th.,eYo j'elf
meet with obstructions in the Southern coup. „Peso:, 01S:
land. They had had their attention direete", she `;;,,
associations rising around them on every side' of ee ea
ject of which was to support the present srtereholbeoo
laws, and it was alleged that these associations liece °,t
organised by the farmers. Now he did not be hes,to,
word of this. Three-fourths of the
escreenef OA,
these meetings were generally compos 1.0 teaTta
Aerations against the League ; but
the
lesgo,
farmers had no such ill-feeling against Welveenerol
_they neither made speeches at those .it 110;
nor did they occupy the chair. 10, fist the M.P., or the Reverend, whose names rst ja
those meetings. The farmers knew from the that'll,'
the League never deceived them—they haenewthe
1841, that the League never marched them v",' 00
flags with the watchword of "No surrender roue
tongues, and in the midst of their rejoicing turne4/01,,
rn
and gave them a new tariff and an income-tax'
cheers.). No, the League told them openly 7,,erceere
through Cobden and Bright ;that theff the Let fa for the total repeal of the corn-laws—that t"- tios if
could gain no benefit from the imaginary Prertro three
the corn-laws—that they would iraPai!",. in the
consumers, and they themselves must snuet'iecs o'ol
turn.—(Hear, hear.) These were the d,ae,hely he of
League broached to the tenant farmers, ana de lithe
and appreciated such arguments, and it wouldleie to o#
for the lords or the squires to come and tell'u of the
contrary.—(Cheers.) He had heard son:let:hi/I& Iliad
meetings which occupied so many pages illh•ch be
papers. A meeting of that description to W'a state" re,
alluded was held at Colchester, when it viss. ware as
the public press that 500 or 600 persoll' who
sent. One of the members of the Leaet% earnberatio
tenant farmer, was "present, and counted tuLeasiee,rthere
persons who attended the meeting on that 'l-2-00. 'vl+
there were not 500, nor 400, nor 300, nor even reporboat,'
were only 186 persons present, including 1 ty,
Another meeting was held in the next cotaltivers/0000.
which a great deal had been said in the newsPy col loaf
only eleven persons were present, and as el° Thel
appeared in one of their favourite paper!._, it,
also been told that a great deal of money ileits"oo
lected on their behalf. They would have oee ineetiefi,‘
Now, what had the League to do after those „055e..,s
They should copy the names of every raa_pciraddl:oo
the franchise from the Sheriff's list, and se:ivy s
Ito every voter throughout the country ected.e
never disturb these meeting; for they reg iar
ings, no matter from whom they nog iile !
and they . respected more especially Imo. b' aid
which might emanate from those ,;ney' s_uueri
sweat of their brow ; but at the same 1,11" e t spes„,ee!
take care that every fallacy put forth Y.( "tells, lea
should be refuted in the publicatio:is
Put it hae,a
and transmitted through the kingttora. .ge wow ors,
said, does the League oppose t?:iis now else
them. The League was now dealing with ledge se toe
It had pledged itself, and would fulfil the Pheti vee,;eg
was practicable, to contest every election/I:1'A cheoitais
may occur.--(Loud and long contina"
should rods!
They might be defeated, but they They oole'
again and again to the combat.--(Cheers.;iieb vivo thii
lose close boroughs, like Salisbury, in
might occur over which they had no c in their_coo•
would not make the slightest difference „_at no ring
wontrol, b eser
tions. They had laid it down as a rulewl,l,l,ont santest.
the
should take a seat in Parliament .I.Lteteti ag‘t the
the concentrated strength of the Leagueedr
effalleocoll3°
him—(Loud cheers)—and the strenuoushas AOO,
League will never cease until the 11,
general through every county in the tthnererorcliaan
rrsl4ri 1111°
Was the League prepared to oppose
)04 the try
squire ?—(Cries of "We are.'') They the coil they"
of the intelligence and good sense 01 Tie koew.estieat
their side, and were sure to prosper. _ 1-":reat qua 00'
might be defeated once or twice, but ne6ciosesbecoael
ever sank into the mind of the mina'
I did .1319 t of the
people of England, which ultimate ,ye,
the i&W of the land, and receive
Crown,—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) .1"