The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-30 00:00:00

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• . VARK ELECTION.
RATE• THE ELECTION OF SIR
'M MOLESWORTH.
er of the electors of the borough of
Sot ace at the Bridge-house Hotel, London-
bridge end, Southwark, to celebrate the return of Sir W.
Molesworth, Bart., as Member of Parliament for the borough.
The chair was taken at six o'clock by Emanuel Cooper, Esq.,
at which time the spacious hall was filled, there being up-
wards of' 300 present. On the right of the Chairman sat
the honoured guest of the evening, Sir W. Molesworth. In
addition to the Chairman and the Honourable Baronet, we
recognised present D. Christie, Esq., M.P., Win. Wilson,
Esq., Wm. Wansey, Esq., John Bouseley, Esq., Dr. Black,
Dr. Elliotson, Cartwright Ellis, Esq., Mr. Duppa, Mr. Lee
Stevens, Mr. Herbert Sturmy, &c. &c. Mr. Bright, M.P.,
came in at a late period of the evening.
The dinner was served in excellent style by the worthy
host, and comprised every delicacy of the season.
. On the removal of the cloth, 'Non nobis Domine" was
sung by the band, composed of the following professional
gentlemen :—Messrs. Ashton, G. Genge, J. Price, Grice,
Cornish, and Beale.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed the health of the Qqeen.
Drunk with three times three, and all the honours.
Air—" God save the Queen."
The CIIAMMAN—" Prince Albert, the Queen Dowager, and
the rest of the Royal Family." Drunk with three times three
Air—" Hail to thee, Prince Albert."
The Cliammass rose, amidst great cheers, to propose
the toast of the evening, their newly-elected Mem-
ber, Sir William Molesworth. He claimed their in-
dulgence while he made a few brief remarks relative
to their respected Member. He would call their attention to
a few points. Sir Win. Molesworth was the well-known
friend of education. He was not an untried man, but had
been proved by nine years' service in Parliament, during
which period, on every occasion, he had proved himself the
. advocate of this great measure in its broadest sense. He was
also in favour of an extension of the franchise, and felt desi-
rous that step by step political rights should be extended to
the whole people.—( Hear.) On the subject of the corn-laws
he was also decided—a subject that was pressing on the atten-
tion of the people of this country, but especially so on their,
fellow-subjects in Ireland. On this point Sir W. Molesworth
had preceded the age, but he now saw that question
for which he had so long contended likely to experience an
early consummation.—(Cheers.) Sir William Molesworth
also took a liberal view of colonial policy. He ss'as in favour
of a system that would lead the colonies to depend on their
own exertions, and teach them to help themselves. On the
question of civil and religious liberty his views were also
well known. He did not recognise what was called tolera-
tion, but advocated the principle that every man should
think for himself freely and independently.—(Cheers.) He
had always voted in favour of the civil and religious privi-
leges of the people. He &needed to all others the same
rights of speech and thought which he claimed for himself.
He (the Chairman) had great pleasure in introducing the
health of their worthy Member.
The health of the Hon. Baronet was drunk amidst loud
and long-continued cheering.
Sir Wit. MOLESWORTH rose amidst loud cheers, and spoke
to the following effect :—Gentlemen, I am much obliged to
you for the manner in which you have drunk my health. I
am deeply indebted to you and the liberal electors of South-
wark for the proud position which I now hold. I owe, like-
wise, my sincerest thanks to those kind friends who, as mem-
bers of my committee, exerted themselves so strenuously in
my behalf: by their untiring efforts a signal victory was
achieved. To you and to them I return my heartfelt
thanks. To you and to them lam truly grateful, and will
endeavour to prove my gratitude by steadily acting up to
those principles, on account of which you . selected me to
represent you in Parliament. Ido rejoice at the success of
those principles; for I believe them to be true, to be
founded on reason and experience, and to be in con-
formity with the great and steady progress which
the european nations are making in knowledge and
civilisation.—(Loud cheers.) Every one that has studied
the history of mankind; must be convinced that, during the
last century, especially during the latter half of it, the arts
and the sciences have advanced more rapidly than in any
other period of which history makes mention. In every de-
partment of human knowledge careful investigations have
been carried on, and accurate observations have been recorded
by patient and laborious men, who have watched, tested, and
explored the operations of nature. By these means the old
sciences have been extended. and the foundations of nume-
rous new ones have been firmly laid. Thus, astronomy and
mechanical science have attained to wonderful perfection.
The laws of light, heat, electricity, magnetism, and chemis-
try, have been discovered. The sciences of vegetable and
animal philosophy have been created. From these sciences in-
conceivable arts havesprung, tending to increase the comfort
and the well-being of the human race. To the progress of
these arts and sciences each of the great European nations
has contributed according to the special character of its
people. Thus the Germans have been the boldest and
most original thinkers. The French have surpassed all
others in upholding the positive laws of the universe, and
the English have excelled in the practical application of
science to the uses of daily life.—(Hear, hear.) We study,
nature, not so much with the great and noble object of dis-
covering her laws, as of deriving benefit from those laws
when discovered. We are pre-eminently a practical people.
In every branch of human industry, in every occupation
which requires mechanical skill and ingenuity, we are un-
rivalled.—(Hear, hear.) In proof of this, I point to the
great practical discovery of modern times. I point to
the application which we first made of the mechanical
powers of steam in the production of motion and
locomotion. I point to our steam-engines, to our factories,
and especially to our railways. We are now in the act of
covering England with railways. Though many of the
schemes for that purpose may be hasty and ill-judged—though
some of them will fail, and the consequence will be pecuniary
loss and a season of temporary distress, yet, at no distant
period, railways will exist between every town of any import-
ance, and will extend into every district possessing either
mineral or agricultural wealth; then journies, which not
many years ago required days to perform, will be accomplished
in hours, and Great Britain will be like one vast city. The
inhabitants of its remote districts will be brought into con-
tact—they will become better acquainted with each others'
feelings, opinions, and interests. Local prejudices, the nar-
row-minded offspring of ignorance and seclusion, will be
swept away.—(Cheers.) Knowledge will be more equally dif-
fused ; and men will become more equal, not by being reduced to
the same low level, but by being raised to the same degree in the
scale of intellect. Thus the lately-discovered means of rapid
• communication is working a great social revolution in this
country, and, together with cheap postage, they are the most
active agents of modern times in diffusing liberal principles
and enlightened ideas, in increasing the power of the people,
and augmenting their control over the Government.—(Loud
cheers.) Gentlemen, history proves that those communities
which have been permanent in wealth and civilisation have
generally possessed the best means of external or internal
communication, and have been mainly indebted to those
means for their prosperity. What, I ask, in ancient times,
Covered the shores of the Mediterranean with rich and flou-
rishing cities, the parents of science and of art ? What
created in the middle ages the free and wealthy towns of the
Rhine, the Danube, and the Elbe? What, in modern
times, has made England the centre of the commerce
of the globe? I answer, the facilities afforded by
the sea and by rivers for trade and intercourse.—(Hear,
hear.) But whatever facility sea or river may afford for
trade and intercourse, tenfold greater and more certain is that
of a railway. Not only in England, but in France, in
Germany, and throughout the whole of Europe, railroads are
forming, or about to be formed. What will be their effect
upon the commerce and intercourse of nations ? It is evident
that every railway company, every railroad proprietor, will
have the deepest interest in augmenting traffic, and will
derive pecuniary benefit from the extension of commerce;
consequently, the finest possible trade will be the desire of all
connected with railways. And who, in these days, hag not
an interest in some railway or another? The shares of the
well-established lines are becoming, like the funds, the means
of permanently investing capital.--(Hear, hear.) Though
many persons at first obtain shares merely as a speculation,
yet the great body who will ultimately hold those shares
must consider them as property, in which their for-
tunes are permanently embarked.----(Hear, hear.) They
will constitute in every community a most power-
ful party, exercising great influence over public opinion,
and using that influence in favour of free trade.—(Cheers.) I
look upon the extension of railways throughout this country
and the continent of Europe—l consider the daily augmenting
steam navigation of the rivers, the seas, and the ocean—as the
sure forerunners of universal free trade. It is the duty of this
country, which as I have already said is the first in the world
in practical affairs, to take the lead, and to make the first
great steps towards free trade. We are pre-eminently the
manufacturing people of Europe: we possess more capital,
more skilful and laborious citizens than any other nation ; we
have all but inexhaustible means of producing cheaply and
well every description of manufactured goods; all that we
want is to exchange our goods for the productions of other
countries. For this we possess every facility; we have every
convenience ; railroads by land, fleets of merchantmen on the
seas, steamers traversing the ocean. What more do we re-
quire? I answer, permission to buy, abolition of pro-
tecting duties, free trade with the nations of the earth.—
(Loud cheers). You have sent me to Parliament to
support free trade ; I will do so to the utmost of my power,
in the firm hope and belief that at no distant period our
efforts will be crowned with success. Everything indicates
a great change in public opinion on the subject of free trade ;
and that change is most striking amongst the Members of
the Conservative party in the House of Commons. A short
time ago they were romost to a man opposed to free trade.
During the last Parliament they constituted a great and power-
ful party, firmly cemented together, if not by principle,
yet by interest, concealed under the semblance of principle;
they were sufficiently strong to obstruct or defeat any liberal
measure, and to overthrow the existing Government. At the
last general election, with the consent of their leader, they
offered themselves to the agricultural constituencies as the
peculiar friends of the farmer, and declared themselves op-
posed to free trade, and to any alteration of the corn-laws.
Since that period, reason, experience, and Sir Robert Peel,
have worked a great and beneficial change in the
opinions of a large portion of the Conservative party.
—(Hear, hear.) The more prudent, intelligent, and
reflecting men amongst them, have supported the com-
mercial policy of the Prime Minister.—(Hear, hear.) By their
votes and speeches in favour of that policy they have re-
nounced the doctrines' of protection, and are generally
becoming free traders. The rest of that party, composed
chiefly of men stupidly honest, devoted to their narrow
prejudices, and ignorant of the signs of the times, together
with some needy or disappointed adventurers, are now
loud in their lamentations, and ridiculous by their com-
plaints of being deceived, deserted, and forlorn. As a
party opposed to free trade, the Conservatives are disunited,
broken to pieces, and politically defunct.—(Cheers.) The
9uestion of free trade, and especially of free trade in food,
is at the present moment of urgent importance. It is now,
I am sorry to say, but too certain that the harvest is de-
ficient ; that in many parts of England the crops have
been injured by the weather, and are inferior both in
quantity and quality.—(Hear, hear.) In addition to
this the potato crops have, in very many places, en-
tirely failed. The consequence will .be that, before long,
food will be scarce, and I am afraid that it will be difficult
to obtain any considerable supply of food from abroad ; for
in consequence of our corn-laws, the countries best fitted to
produce corn do not grow corn for our market, but only at-
tempt to raise a quantity sufficient for their own ordinary
consumption; and it appears, unfortunately, at the present
moment the crops are likewise deficient in those countries ;
consequently their inhabitants, who have hardly corn enough
for themselves, will have little to spare us, except at a hioli
price.—(Hear, hear.) lam much afraid therefore, that be-
fore next harvest, the price of food will considerably aug-
ment. This will cause great distress amongst. our labouring
population, and may give a shockh to credit which would
have a most disastrous effect
railway
elwpresent moment, when
so much capital is engaged speculations, some
of them of a very questionable charler cannotroave
great
un-
founded u
con-
template the possibility of these events'
alarm. I hope that my anticipations may prove
founded ; but if they are, as I am they are,
too well founded, we shall soon have
ul
experience of the evils and impolicy of
our corn-lawa,
trust, however, that that experience will not be thrown
away, that out of the evil some good may come, and that a
vigorous effort will be made in the next session of , Parlia-
ment to repeal the corn-laws.—(Loud cheers.) So alarming,
indeed, is the state of the crops, especially of the potato crops
In Ireland, that, according to the Times of this morning, a