The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-02 00:00:00

he was met with such hootings and cacklings as were held it impossible that these men could say, "(dire
a disgrace to the House of Commons ; but when the us more protection."—(Loud cheers.) It was th 3
question became more important, then they began to grossest ignorance to belave that the agricultural
talk about vested rights—(Cheers)—end when the labourers could be maxims to perpetuate slush
question went further, then they began to argue ; and a state of things. ell classes complained
now that the League had taken up the subject with of the present state of things, and they did not come
such vigour and success, they had nothing but vested plain without reason. It was true a majority of the
interests to talk about.—(Cheers.) Now what dal farmers in Somersetshire were opposed to the repeal
vested interests consist of ? In his opinion it of the corn-laws. Why wire they so ? Because
was a taking of something by somebody that they were told by those who had an interest in per-
did not belong to them.—(Loud cheering.) petuating the present state of things, that a repeal of
It was no reason to say that the thing was not pur- the corn-laws would make corn much lower, and
loined because it was purloined a long time ago that they would be altogether ruined. Some of these
He supposed a great many of those who heard him silly farmers looked as it were with suspicion on the
had been in France, and if so, they must be aware manufacturers, because they agitated for a free trade
there were regular dustmen there, called cheffintiers, in corn. •Many of them said "the manufacturer.s,
who were in the habit of picking up from the mass of agitate for cheap bread in order 'to keep wages low.
dust which was thrown before the door bits of pa- Could there be a greater insult to common sense than
per, and other things, which they carried away in such language as this.—(Hear, hear.) Was it not
their bags to make a livelihood. At the time of the well known that wages was a marketable commodity,
cholera the French Government supposed those heaps (Hear)—and that the prices of wages and bread never
of stuf would cause that disease to spread, and they harmonised ? The demand for labour regulated the
resolved upon prohibiting them. But the chef- price of bread. Others of these deluded men said
foiziers arose and said their vested interests should not the manufacturers wanted to sink the price of corn,
be touched.—(Laughter.) They had a vested lute- in order to invest their capital in land.—(Cries of
rest ; the Government was afraid to touch it, and so " Oh, oh !" and laughter.) Such arguments were
there they are to this day,—(Hear, and laughter.) more characteristic of the inmates of a lunatic asylum
Madrid afforded another instance. There were in than of men pretending to common sense. If the
that city persons who brought water into the city manufacturers, as Lord Radnor remarked, possessed
from a distance, and when it was proposed to bring the power of applying skill, and capital, and industry,
water into the city by aqueducts, which would con- then there was the greater likelihood of their being
siderably diminish the expense, the water-carriers able to give employment to the- surplus population,
protested they had a vested interest, and the citi- and the greater prospect of their enabling the con-
zens of Madrid were obliged to buy dear water.— sumer to buy a cheaper article. lie looked upon the
(Hear and laughter.) But absurd and ridiculous. manufacturer as the "farmers friend." The agri'
as those instances of vested interests were, they were cultural population should look for real protection not
not near so absurd, so nicked, or so mischiev- to the landed proprietory, but to the manufacturers, who
ous as the vested interests of the landowners.— would enable the people to consume their commodities,
(Cheers.) What was their origin? There was a and to give a high price for them.—(Hear, hear-)
long war with France, which raised the price of the Let the manufacturers prosper, and the farmers would
necessaries of life. It was a curse to the people, but have nothing to fear. If the artisan had full employ"
it was a profit to the landlord—(Hear, hear)—for went, the farmer would have no reason to complain.
when the war was at an end the landlords, in whose He would then have a ready market for his beef and
hands all the power then was, came down and passed mutton, for the people would have the means of buying*
the corn-laws, with, as the Chairman said, the aid of At present the restrictive laws forbade these adven'
those bayonets which had conquered the enemies of tages. It was said the farmers were against free
the country.—(Cheers.) This law was the cause of trade. He had already said they were so, and he wits
the artificial high price of corn. The landlords made sorry for it, but they might not care much for that.
a vested interest for themselves ; but if they had an If a few of the landowners, such as the Noble Lord
interest in scarcity the people of this country had a in the chair, would come forward, and advocate
vested interest in plenty, and they hail a far higher free-trade principles, the farmers would soon
law for this than any Act of the Legislature— follow in their train.—(Hear, hear.) He thought
(Cheers)—a law which said that the goods of this there could not be a stronger argument in favour of
world should not be confined to any particular spot free trade than the case of wool. When the duties
for the benefit of any particular persons, but which on this article were about being reduced, some year'
enjoined that, by means of exchange, the ago, the sheep-breeders exclaimed that they would
deficiency of one country might be supplied by be ruined, and calamity was foretold to the co
the superfluities of' othei countries, that each might munity ; but the fact was, that the wool-trade bad,
enjoy his portion of those blessings which it pleased in consequence of the reduction of those duties, be'
Almighty God to give for all.—(Cheers.) When come much better, and had been greatly improved.
they knew those things—when they must stare every Why should not the same results follow as regards
tradesman, every manufacturer, workman, farmer, corn ?—(Hear, hear.) There was not the slightest
and landlord, provided he be honest, in the face, was doubt but such a result would occur. The land'
it not surprising that the country remained quiet ? lords saw the farmers were an important class,
Was it not surprising that such a state of things and deserved support; very true, but Was,_
should be suffered to continue, when the represents- there no consideration for the great bit/A
tires of the manufacturing towns stated that the of the community—those men who earned their bread
people were starving, that thousands were in the by their labour and by their intellect ? That was the
workhouses ; and when they were told by an Hon. class that required protection—that was the class
Gentleman (he, Mr. Ricardo, should be sorry to have which needed the sympathy of the Legislature. Th?
it said of him that he made such a statement,) that question was, whether it was more prudent to extena
hundreds of thousands were rejoicing in oatmeal and commerce, and give general employment, and pr°.
potatoes? When they were told, even by a Cabinet duce general comfort, or maintain high rents for
Minister, that two millions of quarters of wheat were the benefit of the landlord class ? The ques,"
rotting in the warehouses of America, which, he said, tion of free trade would be soon agitated again-;11
he would consider a national misfortune if brought the House of Commons, and he could Will
here ?---(Oh, oh.) There was plenty of corn in the see what the result would be. Among other
Ukraine, in Pultowa, and in the ports of the Baltic, arguments which would be adduced in favour(
which they might receive if the corn-laws did not of monopoly, it would be said that a great number
stand between them. When they were openly told petitions were presented against a repeal of the corn"
that this would be a national misfortune, did they laws. Well, so there were some, but how were those_
consider the consequences ?—(Hear.) Was it not petitions got up ? He would tell them. It was th!
possible, when they were thus building fortifications custom in the counties where they wished to have :
by means of iron laws around property, they ought to petition signed, to give a pint of cyder to each 101°,
take care they were not creating enemies to property who signed it. Indeed, for a draught of strong cyder
itself. Let them recollect what had been said, not the ignorant peasant came and put not only his nen3
by a manufacturer, but by a servant of the Crown, to the petition but the names of his innocent children'
and what had been quoted by the Premier himself: and the babe at the breast, as ignorant of the re'"
that the people of this country had no objection to nature and objects of the petition as himself.—(Bear'
any man keeping his property ; but if they saw that hear.)
.Why, for a sovereign he could get a hog''
this property conferred some peculiar advantages, head of cyder, and he would be bound to say that he
they might be given to think there was some anomaly would get a petition signed for any purpose evhset.
in property, which they might endeavour to obviate. ever by all the rustics in a country parlsfe
—(Hear.) He was driven to say these things only And then those petitions were held forth by the
in consequence of the mode in which they had been monopolists as an evidence of the disposition of the
treated. He must implore of the people to help people of England towards free-trade principles. '..,
them. They could only insert the nail—it would be had once called a meeting in his native parish, T.
for the people to wield the hammer which would drive favour of free trade, which was numerously attende",
it in.—(Loud cheers.) lie did not see the use now He explained his views and opinions to the occupir;
in bringing any more free traders into Parliament. of land who attended, and they all signed a peteeitul.
If they had even 30 or 40 additional free traders in favour of free trade.--(Hear, hear.) An Xi%
in the House of Commons they would not avail. Member had recently moved for an inquiry into to
But there would be another election, and each man burdens which affected land. This inquiry was
reel.
in his own position ought to do the utmost.—(Hear.) fused, and for very obvious reasons—the majority u•
Their forefathers had obtained civil and religious the House of Commons refused to grant even a CO;
liberty for them at the point of the sword.—(Hear.) mittee to inquire into the tendency of the preen'
He did not require such a sacrifice ; but if they corn-laws. He was convinced the period would s°°°
exerted themselves properly there was another arrive when the principles of free trade would 11
freedom which they might bequeath to their sons, triumphant, for, according to Scripture, the success 4;
and that was commercial freedom.—(Cheers.) If the wicked would be but of short continuance. I,l_o
tu
they did that, he was quite convinced not one amongst looked for the triumph of the principles which
them would have reason to regret any sacrifice of League advocated, in the progress of information,
~L•
time or trouble.—(Hear, bean Their names would in the result of a long and painful experience. .-Iwe
be written in the annals of their country, and their sooner that triumph was achieved the better for the
posterity would say of them, these were the men people. After thanking the meeting for the kinthlet
who achieved the commercial freedom of our with which they had listened to him, the speaker
country.—(Loud cheers.) down amid loud cheering. •
Mr. SOMERS, a tenant-farmer, next addressed the Mr. COBDEN then advanced to the front of the
meeting. After begging the indulgence of the great Platform, and was received with the most enthusiasts
meeting he saw before him, that they would hear cheering and waving of hats and handkerchiefs4a
patiently what a person in his humble situation in every part of a densely-crowded house, which latiri,
life might address to them, he said there were various for nearly five minutes. He said fortunately for 'lee
classes of farmers in Somersetshire, to which county phrenologists who had examined his head had assn ~,
he belonged. There was, first, the land agent, who him that neither the organ of self-esteem nor the lie: la
was also a tenant and land surveyor, but who soon of approbation were developed there, for if he n.e.,
found out that it was more advantageous to value possessed them they would have quite spoiled biro' 0
lands than to cultivate them. He did not belong to (Laughter and cheers.) At that late hour he 'arty
that class. There was another class of farmers— not long trespass on their attention. It was adu ir
some of whom he knew as Farmer So-and-so—who he owed to the Noble Lord who had taken the e"e,
lived by means of Lawyer So-and-so, his neighbour. so kindly, and who possessed the true nobility of elir a,
—(A laugh.) He did not belong to that class of ture, who was the second of his body to come f.O,
farmers.—(Hear.) There was another class of farmers, ward and preside at their meeting, to thankee,Pay,
called tenants at will. When an election took for the honour he had conferred upon them. -I's
place they were expected to vote for the candidate had answered his Grace the Duke of Richmond
who was pleading to the landlord, and they did so.— since by the speeches of Mr. Lattimore and -""„tie
(Hear, hear.) He was happy to say it was not 'his lot Hunt at that meeting. They gave him a further."„e,
to belong to that class.—(Cheers.) There was an- swer in the speech of Mr. Somers on that eventße;
other class who possessed landed estates, and who oc- These men were tenant-farmers. These were anseLo
cupied the same. He was sorry to say it was not his to his Grace from farmers residing in the three gl:4,
lot to belong to that class.—(Laughter.) There was agricultural counties of Herefordshire, Glouces'e're
another class, but they were a poor crop, who took shire, and Somersetshire. They were not the Info.
out a license to think for themselves, and who obeyed creatures—the serfs—the toadies of the landoev°lls,,
the convictions of their own minds. It was his plea- They came forward, and boldly, motor
sure to be able to say that he belonged to that class. and fearlessly gave utterance to their
they
—(Cheers.) He looked to principles and not to men. timents, and were not afraid to declare that 'ins
He did not look to individual interest, hut to what believed the corn-laws were injurious to the best in
might turn out to be the interest of the many.— terests of the country. He was once travellinguth
(Cheers.) Having stated to what class of farmers he Scotland, on the banks of the lake between Tarn, der
belonged, belonged, he would now state what his feelings were and Killeen. It was late at night, and a Higing"ge
with regard to free trade. On one occasion he was drove him who believed in witches and ghosts• were
asked by a Somersetshire magistrate what were his said his father had seen many of them, and they„ sled
sentiments with regard to free trade. He said he worse than the evil one who sent them. 4, Just,
60,
was for free trade in everything all over the world. " he, as the factor over there, (pointing to Lord °rose
—(Loud cheers.) He was a friend to free albane's seat) " just as the factor there is waur very
trade, because he had heard there was a great the laird."—(Laughter.) They had not a who
quantity of wheat in bond for which there wide choice amongst the free trade farrners4,ishe
would be plenty of consumers if they could get could speak at a public meeting like that; but %err
it out, and he thought the system under which this could tell them from his own experience, that ea&
was done, must be iniquitous. He was of the opi- ever there was a man of thought, and of inueP the
nion of Earl Spencer, who said that free trade would ence, he was almost invariably found to be .011, to
increase labour, and consequently increase wages.— side of free trade.—(Hear, hear.) In referentog
(Hear.) It would enable the working classes to sup- free trade generally, he must congratulate the Ineeeseet
port themselves in greater comfort. It had been said, on the progress which it had made during the P,ra not
that if the farmers stopped, all must stop. He could week. They had a budget.—(Hear.) He etruL• the
not see the thing in this light. He was of opinion say that it was a free trade budget, such v'wer,
that if the farmer stopped, it was because all others Leaguers would produce when they came into r the
stopped before him.—(Hear, hear.) He believed the but still there were some little things done Toe
farmers and manufacturers were bound together like budget of Monday, and every thing that ave4ers.)
the links in a chain ; they were like the horses of the was done in the direction of free trade.—(C,Hectioa
farmer's plough, but the manufacturer was the fore What had the Duke of Richmond and the Prot e
horse, the farmer was the hind horse—(Hear, hear) Society been about ? He thought they had vo
rrigee
—and if the first stopped, the second must stop.— raised themselves and declared that the sti sees
(Hear, hear.) The order of the day was protection, Minister should go no further.—(Laughter.) mdread
but as the Divine word said, the tree was known by quite clear that the Prime Minister did not safe
its fruit. Now what fruit had the tree of protection these carpet knights—he relied on the free tr ease
produced ? He knew little of the state of manu- Now there was one thing that was well done, be`'"ci to
Five'
factures, but he was sure the manufacturers would it was totally and immediately done. He refs, fiv.
e
not spend their time in agitating this question if' the entire abolition of the protection upon woo" of the
they were in a flourishing state.—(Hear, hear.) He and-twenty years ago, there was an uprising They
knew little of the state of the artisans, but he was told Knatchbulls and. Richmonds upon this subject' i
they were more ignorant and worse off than the agri. insisted that 6d. per lb. should be imposed on f--;°red re
cultural labourers.—(Laughter.) He believed that wool. Five years afterwards Mr. Huslcisson s""_ the
was a grand mistake; but the condition of the artisan had been told by Leeds woollen-manufacturenrs,toole
was at best not an enviable one. Did they hear no unless this duty was thrown off, the woolle he els
murmuring among the agriculturists ? Why many would be lost. By dint of great management:: 015;
of the tenant-farmers in Somersetshire were on the enabled to take off, in 1824, sd. of tie; be'
very brink of insolvency. He came next to the agri- chief which had been put on ; now t " The
cultural labourer. It was said that his condition got rid of the other penny.--(Lang ried e
would be rendered worse by free trade. Let him Knatchbulls and Buckinghams of the Pe if tll5
hies.) to
remind them of what the wages in Somersetshire which he had referred declared thatsbepber t
were. Taking it at the highest average they did not
exceed 9s. a week. Out of this ls. must be paid for duty was repealed there would be no more, ;_se . the,
employed—they would all go to the workVanai tboo
rent (which was sometimes lower), then there were there would be no more mutton in the lanr?„,ere is'er4
Bs. to support a man and his wife and four children— all the shepherd dogs might be hanged. J-,_"ainess "
to find them in food, in fuel, and in raiment.—(Hear, now, however, going to carry on the nrill protect;
hear.) He asked them whether it was not downright :trade °" closor •
hypocrisy to say that it was possible to injure the con- tion. Why should they not carry on the
sheep rearing and wool shearing without Y f
able to a ,_„
dition of' such miserable people ?—(Great cheering.) Prim plge
It was stated that the corn-laws would reduce lish the duties on corn why had the N
without protection ? If it were unreason. a ministo
them to pauperism—they were already in a condition abolished the protection on wool ?---(141;leot
_.o‘
again, the subject of coffee ; that matterTwhe eutyonua
far worse than the paupers.--(Hear( hear.) He had
been a guardian of the Bridgewater union from the oneolonial °geed the
tirely done—it was but half d
commencement, and the average expense of support- coffee was, at that moment, 4d. on c d
abolishe i ieft
ing the inmates of the workhouse there was not less Bd. on foreign. Sir Robert Peel had he had 1 0
than 2s. 4d. per head per week.—(Hear, hear.) Then TheY we- tier
. it should be recollected that the food for this work- the colonies with 2d. less protection.
the
next matt
house was purchased at the wholesale price. The duty on foreign by 2d., or in other words, iiid hay
the other half by and by. Now e coffee uPles
not make tne
poor labourers of Somersetshire—and they were notea,
least with was sugar. Ladies could
the worst off—were obliged to subsist on the three- they had the sugar—at,,,,r 4 tighter.) for $
fifths of 2s. 4d.surely the poor men who tugged they could. not make it sweet.—es
about this sugar,
seent
hard all day in the field, required as much sustenance they were in a little difficulty the
.Geeerpol'
as the pauper in the workhouse.—(Hear, hear.) • He scruple of conscience came over I,