The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-14 00:00:00

THE LEAGUE-ITSELF AGAIN!

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—Although you give your support only to the de-
serving, I am glad to find that you report the "sayings
and doings" of both friend and foe, so that the publie
seeing both sides of the question, may have an oppor-
, Lure ty of judging for themselves, It is on this aecount
• that I sin happy to find in your to-day's paper the report
of a meeting of the "lords of the land" for the "protec-
tion of agriculture," that is to say, for their own interests.
I should advise any one who wishes to judge the case,
'to look on this picture and on that"—to contrast the
formal discourses of these noble landlords, inspired by
fear and animated by selfishness, with the stirring
eloquence of Mr. Cobden and his fellow-labourers--men,
ho without the advantages and without the trammels of
rank and titles, stand forth the champions of the op-
pressed, the indefatigable supporters of the rights of the
many. It is amusing to hear the terms in which the
noble aristocrats speak of the League, the dreaded
opponent they affect to despise :—•• It is a ghost—a
thing departed—only a registration club!" Their lord-
ships would be only too happy could they believe, indeed,
that the League was—but is—no more. Their " wish is
father to the thought"—both alike hopeless. Many
have thought, that if not dead, the League slumbered ;
they were mistaken. Not exhausting its strength in
empty flashes, the steady fire burned on unceasing, and
is about to blaze forth with resistless power, heaping
coals of fire on the heads of its opponents. Is' it likely
ti:e landlords think the League defunct, when they can
only muster forty individuals to " protect agriculture,"
while the meetings of the free traders may be counted by
thousands ? 'lt is a great feature of the spirit of this age
when men only awake to the knowledge of evil, in order
to resolve to overcome it—it is a great sign of the times
that the noble edifice, which was deserted when it essayed
to picture the scenes of the past, aided by the eloquence
of the poet and the genius of the actor, is now thronged
with anxious and eager multitudes, wishing to admire, not
the beauties of imagination, but the brightness of truth—
not willing to gaze on the past, but resolved to improve the
present. Let those who think•the League's " occupation
gone" but listen to the cheers of Covent-garden—let
those who are desirous of protecting agriculture but
heed the advice of Mr. Cobden. If they still persist in
their opinions, I can only pity their blindness, and wish
them joy of their error.
Among the numerous converts free trade will gain
next session, I trust we may number the Premier him-
self; be has already half declared in its favour. If he
value the respect, not to say the support, of the country,
he must cut the cables which bind him to the fast sink
ing wreck of Toryisin, and, hoisting the banner of prin-
ciple; boldly set sail ; rather than trust the coalition of
adverse winds let him confide in the broad stream of pub-
lic opinion, not doubting that a favouring tide will bear
him safely onward when once free from the quicksands
of expediency.—l remain, Sir, yours obediently,
London, Dec. 13. • ADRIAN.