The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-14 00:00:00

PRE STTNT, LO'N'DON,

`sitiND.ll.itLAND ELECTION.
ttee -atAND, TuEspAy Moariese, A ua. 13.--Yesterday
te exertions of the candidates and their friends were increased,
este ,!en is LOW on " the tiptoe of expectation," and in a
duer excitement eir. Hudson and Mr. Cobden at-
toe hasl7g the day, and •he appearance of the latter gent's.-
lven renewed animation to the Contest.
totsin- the g evening, Mr. Cobden, M.P. ( who arrived in the
l during the day), Coloicel Thompson, and Mr. Bright,
Atc• addressed tl.e electors in the Polytechnic Hall of the
elthern• The gallery was reserved tor ladies. Both parts
I nilding were crowded to excess, and also the adjoining
peetairteotheatre, which is separated from the hall by a wooden
pen} n, and in which, when the inner doors are opened, the
assembled are enabled to hear, though not to see the
!lteelter
'tett; On the platform were some of the most active and
jo,h sal Liberals in the borough.
troteetia Wilson, Esq. (of the well-known firm Wilson and
ttoeu_rse Merchants and impo.rters) presided, and at once in-
eeetienee Richard Cobden, Esq., Member for Stockport, to the
, Mr. tr,
iteee
„...atnEN said, I received a summons from our good
toyeoetiteolnnel Thompson to come here to pay my respects
teats person. I must confess I think it almost a work
pep eem._ rogation that I should come here at all ; for when
thee, ee. ruY master and teacher to teach you, I hardly
t_ et is necessary for one of his pupils to come. How-
ho'4ool,now repeat what I have often said, I would walk
be t` 200 miles merely to assist in promoting his re-
tie., , Parliament. Fortunately I have visited you with
emeeless fatigue, for I left Mans:Lester at seven o'clock,
eate'cre lam in the midst of you. I should have thought
to
orland the very last place in the kingdom where
611eauld have had a free-trade contest against monopoly.
e.) It is said "experience teaches fools," and you
tetteet fools in Sunderland—you are " too far North for
ereneane therefore I sbould have thought the bitter ex-
eolthe four or eve years during which this town and
tib°ou
.t !hood were plunged into a state of distress from
e(e
is only just emering, would have presented anybody,
turthet" sunk in the re o political rejudice, from
er attachment to the cm n-f laws. Bupt it seems there
14;:l I:ersona to be found in Sunderland to raise the
\lee _ of monopoly against tree trade, and I am told that
seesere persons who own ships, and who live by carrying
fee m and from foreign countries, in favour of restriction
these traie. I believe that twenty-five years hence, when
ire, "long us who may then be living, tell to our chi!.
fot f_what has eappened during that time in this struggle
toteprreeiel trade, the thing most difficult to make them
rose end will be, the fact that shipowners were found
ee be free trade. I have sometimes speculated as to what
trade ands ground of the hostility of shipowners to free
have „ 1 believe this is the solution of it. You
laeeer old men among the shipowners—there are old men
lieeei,Y calling, and we are apt to look upon old meta as
the,e more than young ones. Old men have a hankering
v%, °la times ; under the navigatien laws, large fortunes
Sieteade; and they think if we returned to that system, the
,theetteuld be the case agaiu. New, I wish to convince
04 that it is impossible to do so, not upon my own authority,
ale Pin that of the House of Commons, Sir Robert Peel.
‘ladoone, and every man there worth two minutes'
dePts--that nothing is more wild and visionary than for
tie owners to dream of going back to the old system of
leansavistation laws. -(Heer, hear.) We must have foreign
ce the
on in foreign shipping. we eaenot prevent
e" next best thing io to have as much carrying trade
to -e.ean, as much demand as we can, and for Englishmen
fair e- the chance of doing all they can ; and if they have
tie 45Y in the world's market, I do not think anybody
14y at Englishmen either by sea or land: Well, then, we
14;4 want more trade, for the free trade- means more
Are: as I dare say yon hive heard fitly times before
eiii-f; the contest; and if we have more trade, Englishmen
het ea_ee their share of it. We say especially that we
abed
trade in foreign corn ; it is a bulky article and
steeur everywhere ; for there is not a latitude in ohieh
k4e,eosnmorlities will grow, that will not grow corn. Then
et ete" .4e anbietrt • 'slit pew ner;e tells thate .ste-freeitrade
to t'L'."taril be eceeried •on in foreign,. se ease and • points
feeee doteritsas feet 'the in.,4843,4n0ra toti,ooo-quartrris of
R. tt earn, only (SOO@ ,*eselelleenteuarietsessireesbrotebeein
it th4ll ships, the rest being brought in foreign bottoms. That
the very pint I want to talk about. Why do foreigners bring,
to this country.? - It •is owing •to the operation of the slid-
ing Seale ; I ;ill explain that ere :twee a manner that no
. it, ~,ner, whatever may be his polities, will fail to respond to
tb reender the present sssiem, no •-rnsn• dare import corn as
keettelar article of trade ; he does net know whether the
t oar will jump to 20s; or down te , and therefore it is nut
leve trade for a merchant' nedirerre tittles ; -"het as just
the'h °men there is a chance, owing to the probeble faeure of
therear,est, that the duty should he down to ss. or es., then
is a demand for corn all over the world. But corn is
Otte,
es.ed instantly. Since I have been here I have had a letter
ile'sete,tlesy hand, addressed to a house in this town, from
shat i'es, dated July 31st, which affords an illustration of
that te was •aying •—" Gentlemen, the present is to inform you
Ore eie merchants are moving about freights to Englar.d.
to 6Y Within three days, the freights for cern have risen front ss.
tosasj,hls There are no Er gle.h vessels, and none off the
Nee, Then there is an account of the ships chartered,
to
poet mend
I ought not to read. It is not certain how long
Kteettiand may eon' inue—it may last a month ; the very next
that :eat gees out to Marseilles may tell the merchants there
eoee: ne sun is shining he,e, and thee the prospect of harvest is
toeee ,and beg them not to send corn at all, but pay smart•
tseeetYte getoff the bargain. Under such a system as this, you
het
.Possibly have a regular trade carried on in English ships,
trek' the corn trade were put on the same footing as the cotton
etitt4whY should yin not have as regular a trade in corn as in
thiit and why should not
wenEglish ships have a fair share of
eho freight ? Well, then, are met in this town by those
keel
fefess to be the peculiar friends of the poor with the state-
tee reeat if we admit toieign corn the wages of labour here
state-
eel if we bring corn from Poland our people will get
that %tie wages as the Polish serfs ; they might just as well s.iy
144' bring gum from Africa the labourers here will be
both and have eurly hair.—(Langhter and cheers.) Have you
riptead some experience in tile town on that point—the expe-
tosete, of the last five or six years ought to have closed the
y " of the people who talk such nonsense as this.—( Hear. )
dsesvesPeeted and venerated friend, 1 understand, has been
terneed as a Socialist and all infidel. I was reading yes.
te'? the life of Wilberforce (an raid friend of Col. p-
ep and I find that in the commencement of his career as
tetteitater against that most horrible traffic in human beings,
di:aye-trade, he and handi were denounced as being the
eitiels- e lee of Tom Paine, the friends of elarat and Robes-
ni the French Revolution. Ay, and then genteel people
in broad.cloth—u=eci to make it a boast that they did
no to the Wilberforce party abolitionists. Who is there
Andell would stand up mad defend slavery and the slave-trade;
we shall tes time than Wilberforce abolish'ed that odious traffic,
and th have achieved the triumph of free-trade principles?
Will he eery men who are now opposing us in this holy crusade
trader: the first to turn round and say we were always free-
eeidate Now he two candidates presented to you are cae-
eheeees to fill atvacancy caused by the loss which we in the
late of Commons have sustained by the retirement of your
that pecellent representative, Lord Howick. I deeply regret
in that's', because he stood prominent among his class cr order
trade at House for the honest and unflinching advocacy of free-
ease., Ptinciples. He did not advocate the abolition of the
eefeeeaws, and the abolition of the monopolies in sugar, and
*he and other things—he did not advocate them as a man
ip thae'oed as a mere politician. He had the frankness to avow
of (tie teouse of Commons, that he had, during the three years
tee sign which took place' seen reason to change hi= opi-
teee, materially as regarded the laws which restricted the
eaelee of the first necessaries of life. He said, what we
tine all remember, that he did not consider it a mere ques-
oee,! polities, but he thought the question of free-trade was
teecaine nature and circumstances of which involved a great
hy that'ha in the Legislature ot• this country. He did more,
earnest speech, to take the question out of the category
se:tarty politics than was dote by any speech made in the
the fBe of Commons. He served as a connecting link between
are free-traders in that. House and the Whig aristocracy who
bet obe found in the House and Ice much regret that he is
keel-here still, so that he might ent that union, and
• tete tis one combined body in our cause.—(Hear, hear.)
if dull are called urn to nominate his successor. Now,
thlnuere is one thing that I cannot possibly forget, more
Yoe 1 can do another, in this contest, it is the fact that
HO were previously represented by such a man as Lord
Ise lel" If any constituency can be considered pledged,-
42P/edged in honour, to return man or kiedied sen-
ee ra to the House of Commons on this question, you are;
ire, cannot. tell how he can face the pulic again, after hay-
lie'eas heard him in the House of Commons, stated that
le4as requested by three-fourths of the constituency of this
veeetthgh to take that honest and straightforward course
' peat. ,he did take in the advocacy of the question. I re-
t"at you have now two candidates placed before you ;
eaoree' OnY friend here, Colonel Thompson, who has done
' Lore t,enan any living man to advance the principles which
time elowick advocated in your name. He devoted his
thee' his furtune, his labour to the cause, at a time when
litre were few to sympathise with, and fewer still to aid
vole' m his efforts. He printed tracts by tens of theusa. ds
the ,en the great difficulty was to find readers who would read
Tepee even though they were gratuitously distributed. Hut he
tte7eered ; awl from the solitude of his chamber came fee th
ele'e lessons which taught another elass of teachers—the
ttihweho perambulated this land, vulgarising, if I may so
PA doctrines--
e• Bemire—Popularising.
friend usle' „oariess—Or "popularising," as my more genteel
r. Bright, suggests—the doctrines and the lessons
Oise," they derived from Colenel Thompson's pen ; and I think
the on this occasion, Sunderland is fortunate in having
the °PPortunity of enteersine those strong opinions which SMALL DEBT, ACT.-011 To( eddy the Act. for the
lh! expressed through Lord Hovrick, by sending Colonel better securing the payment of small debts was issued. In
every stage of the measure alterations have been made, and
CerelwPe'en to reiterate those arguments in the House of
heetnous.—e Applause.) But it appears that Colonel it was only on receiving the loyal assent on Sa urday that it
estem P-on, beside., being free-trader, entertains other was known that further cerreetions could not be made until
tes—llens on political questions.a
And I hold that I should be Parliament again assembled There. are twenty-five sections
''ved but a poor advocate of free trade it 1 could not allow and four schedules in the Act. Singularly enough, it dates
tiy
;tree one who was co-operating with me in the advocacy of its operation just twelvemonths from the paseng of the Act
pel trade
to entertain his own political principles. But, which liberated some hundreds of poor persons who were in
efeeth: Is occasion, don't let us be mystified. Whatever other custody for sums not exreeiting 2c1., and prevented the ewer-
ee""s Colonel Thom son may entertain—whether he go one (aeration of some hundreds of others for like stems. It will be
seat farther, or fall onel point short of myself—don't be mysti- well if a reaction does not take place, and creditors pi oceed to
The only question at issue in this election is the question extremes., under the erovisems of the [le law. Debtors !gay
te "'tee trade and monopoly.( Hear.) In England we are in now be induced to " make their peace" eith their creditors
heee ea of doing thingsren; et a time • and the question we without patttitig the machinery of the new law into operation.
'The general effect of the law appears to be, that a creditor who
of we 'n hand now is that of free trade. It is the question
Isese—e Present generation; and that question will be settled has obtained a judgment,
for any order for payment, from a
te re competent court, or any sum not exceeding 201., can cape-
the tees any other question, about which your el emies at-
rcueseeroriefy You will have any-thing like a discussion in cetiously and cheaply summon a debtor to the Court of
„king
_Bankruptcy, or Court of Requests, • provided the 'latter is
C'on;rnens. And, therefore, without
presided bver by-a-barrister, special pleader, or an attorney
spoether Colonel Thempson's political opinions are in all re-
who Las been ten years in practice. The debtor may
age!ta the same as mine, or yours, or not, I think y u will
be examined as. well as the creditor, and, should the debtor
• seee with me that, as a free-trader, you could 'not send a
fail to attend, or. make a satisfactory answer, or shall
le to the House of Commons who 'would strike such a
'foe free trade as You would be the means
fp pnear
goods,to haveor
theeen
contraction guiltyexetoehfeedadi
exceeding
tftfrhoareutt (ydeed.beati ilsah,eerwinihniactyhhbeiteur els,mer.insetovatao-1
returnee,"
, m s acted friend on m left.--( Loud
Rl:reeres•) see, yin tea
of the placards, it is stated that the Pri'un for a period not.
tieCeees of Colonel Thom son's Committee are not all jus- ment is not to extinguish the debt, nor is it to be got rid of-
s of
tee the peace, and are not all gent'emen. In fact, it by a• n order from the Court of anera.ptcy or Insolvent
Debtors, but the judge who sent him to prison may orde e
r 6 " that there is nobody on that Committee. Why, this
_Ninbeing made by the amend of • the
Jfeeed°: me of an anecdote in Goldsmith's Citizen of the descharg,e on satisfaction d PY
itt, where he makes his fashionable fop to walk the park debt anu costs, (eve of the last amend: amendments states
o. a Chinese. The park was crowded • but the fop k ept that the actual necessaries of the debtor shall not be seised in
stletngs. the Chinese gentleman—. There 'is nobody here— execution and allows him goods, tools, feu., to the value of Si,
• tee. 0 nobody at all. There is positively nobody injurisdictions of the present inferior courts may, by an
here, pray Then," said the clever Chinese, "if there is nobody e
in Council,'
be exteeded to, and,„ all such apptica-
tions must be advertised in the London Gazette one month
thee teey who are all the people here that are laughing at
ace, —(Great laughter and applause.) Now I think I may be enforce in e manner as before they are considered. Witnesses ndut. arkending when
summoned may be fined Si., to
th 1"Y of those ' • of the see and ti sessions
T'uld be t Justices -
teen e ling you that there is nooody here for Colonel. payment of any debt recovered by j
a udgrnent. There is power
detee,Pon, is not every body else laughing order has been obtained, notwith-
at them ? For I given to execute
_warrants aeainse the person or goods of a
ea`teethat from one end of the kingdom to the other there debtor against whom an
beet trie but one loud laugh at Colonol Thompson's oppo- standing the removal ewe the jurisdiction of the court in
t" • "ere
till in . esepo„„" There never was such an exinbi. which such order was obtained. The Act is only to apply to
Pulatemthe world. 'I he idea of a man coming among a ). England. The forms to be used and the fees to be. charged
forth in the schedules of the Act. Creditors and
borxa oee, ,of nearly 60,000, and offering to bribe the whole
by Pledging himself to make such a dock or such a adre
ebtsoerts may be !heir own lawyers in the Ma
superior
way e idea item was certainly a clumsy one, bu, the the small debts courts are extended and p.
tee niii e which the thing was nuensged by these great justi'sea of mentioned, very few actions will be broughtritlnsathtue
trteesrideer Cgs
rdeads
th
Saturday
r`ace was so str that certainly there -never was any- courts for amounts under 20/. It took effect tio.
!II rig mgr ; ange
public
idiculoues They should eat have said anything.
SHOCKINti Ceffeeere.—A Spanish eseireal st;:tes
th !e if they wanted Mr. Hudson to go to Parliament and that a short time back, as a dealer jq leeches was traveling
eir job,
ey for teem. They spoiled the whole peheme. on a by-road in Estrernadura, he was stepped by a llat4 of
Ala h -.owl not have ;aid a word, because they prevented I thieyes, who demanded his money. He assured them that
I "in
Insgine eg, a possibility of doing anything of the kind. k he bad none about him, having~lh expended all thst he had
'tr. Hudson getting up in the House of Commons brought with him. Having aseertaiied that he had told . the
there" 'n 1 am aware you are not going to send him I truth, they in revenge for thole eisappointment thrust his head
in te the eay_osauehter)—but imagine him rising into the sack in which h arrieti his leeches.
beged' mat in the House of Commons, and saying he ; tightly round his neck Seme couetry peeple passitig not
atreee, to Ewes
v for leave to bring in a Bill for con- i long afterwards found him dead, he having been bled to death
"ng a dock at Sunderland. Before he had finished by big own stock.— Ce . • . and bowel it
•

the words a peal of laughter would have arisen from all parts
of the House ; and then one would shout, " Wright !
Wright !" and another, " Spoor Spoor ?" till iill was
drowned in laughter once again.—( Much cheering and
laughter.) Why, you may tell them that all the world is
laughing at them. And then, what an insulting prioiositeni !
If somebody had gone to Seaham, strong as an Atlas,
and said he would make them a dock, or something of the
kind, if they would only make him dock-keeper, or chief
constable-I could have understood if, in a place like that,
people might put themselves under the patronage of any
man who would make them docks. But the idea of a
town like Sunderland, with fifty-six thousand inhabitants,
being asked to suffer themselves to be bribed by the
making of a dock, and the bringing to them a railway
into the bargain, is such an insulting proposal—that I
must say I did not think there was so much impudence
extant.—(Laughter.) To do Mr. Hudson justice, however,
lam quite sure he is no party to it. Has he publicly said,
that he will make you docks ?—(" No.") No, he is a great
deal too good a judge. Has he declared that he will make a
railway 7—(" No.") Then it is net Mr. Hudson who has said
it, but Mr. Wright and Mr. Spoor.—( Laughter.) You know
best whether their. guarantee is good for the construction of
docks and railways; but you have no claim upon Mr. Hudson
at all events. But I presume the town has now come to its
senses; and shortly after the thing was first proposed, when it
became known that all the country was laughing at it, I do not
doubt that there was not one sane man who did noc thoroughly
believe that it was all " fudge ;" and if Mr. Hudson's friends
kept up a face on the subject, 0 was merely to laugh in their
sleeves when nobody could see then. flow can Mr. Ii utisen make
docks and railways. If I understand anything of his position
and his undertakings—and I should not have talked about them
if he and 16s-friends had not made t hem matter of public boast,
if I understand his position, .1 believe there is no man in this
cohroly whose ways and means are more deeply engaged and
bespoken than Mr. Hudson's.—( Hear.) If all that he him-
self tells us is true, he will want every farthing that he can get
from every source that he can cammanil.—( Hear.) He does
not propose to find you the money. Who does? If anybody
lends money to make docks or railways, it is became he ex-
pects to get a good return. But it does not require Mr. Hud-
son to be a Member of Parliament in order to enable him to
take shares in these things, if he likes. He may do it now, if
so he will ; and I want to show you that he can do it better
out of Parliament than in it.—( Hear, and laughter.) I told
him so myself the other day. I met him in the lobby
of the House of Commons, where he is often to be found, and
I whispered in his ear, " If you wish to have any of your pro-
jects under the attention of that House, 1 would advise you to
reetain in the lobby till the business is done, for you are a great
deal more powerful in this lobby than you will ever be within
those walls." " Why so ? " was his answer. "Why, because
if Mr. Hudson gets up out Of his place to speak in favour of a
particular railway, he will not be regarded as the most disinte-
res'ed advocate of that railway."—( Applause.) And men
who are disinterested will he quite as likely to vote against him,
as any will be to vote in his favour, because he advocates the
measure. If or. Hudson wants to extend his operations, and
to make other railways in addition to those which be
has now upon his handstif he wish to pass other Bills,
let him pursue the same course in their operation—
let. him stick to the lobby. You are mistaken if you suppose
that Members of Parliament can now act in the House of
Commons for the promotion of prisate jobs. Great improve-
trent has taken place in these things. Nothing has given me
more atisfaction than the complete change which has lately
taken place in the management of private business. Let Mr.
Hudson keep, then, in the lobby ; and if he have taken such
a violent affection for this borough—if he mourn over your
went of docks—if he kindly conceive you want another railway,
and is himself dying wilt Srixiety to assist you in getting
them, still I say " let him stick to the lobby," for he will be
more able to realise his wishes there than on the other side
if the door.—( Applause and laughter.) There is another rea.
son why Mr. Hudson should not wish to go into the House of
Commons. I don't think his debut in public life has at all
added to his reputation. I believe he used to be corisidered
.at a premituir .in..,the ..snerket; but. since, his.iniroductory
speech here,.in public, on the corn-laws antl*free.trade,,
hejuo
!longer occesietthat position .- I don't know whether apy man
has mere completely settre4l Iris Lien' slieanWarcreoorse as a
publec mat; but this I krievrethat if I had hakieffed tiir Vold
shares in Mr.' Hudson's lines of railway from Bristol to Ber-
wick, and if my confitlence in him was challenged because he
had beets so prosperous, I would, after reading that speech,
have felt obliged to take a calm review of myself; for a man
who could tusk •such rublatsli. proves himself 'to • be infinitely
below, -in intellect, the very lowest,Member of the House of
Comments at .tbis,mornent---anst _that. is_ .saying a good deal,_,
( Laughter.) tVcll, here are your two caodidates.,‘ You have
here a man who, intellectually, has not a superiorin his day.—
( Cheers.) You have a man—l wish hie had hot been present
while I said it—you have a man of most excellent character in
every respect. And how has he been assailed ? I don't know
what they have not called him. But I judge of men by their
fruit.—( Loud applause.) If you can shuw me a better man,
a better neighbour, a better ciizen, a better husband, a
better father, then I'll give up the contest, and leave it to Mr.
Hudson.—( Hear, hear.) I believe if Colonel Thompson has
a fault, it is this. He has not sufficient of the quality which in
phrenology is called " self-esteem ;" and he has never known
his own worth. The absence 'of that self-esteem—that vulgar
pride—has led Colonel Thompson always to descend from his
own station, to try and elevate those beneath him. When I
visit my friend at his house at Blackheath, and when I see the
elegant style in which he lives—when I see the manlier in
which Colonel Thompson might pass his life, and ought to pass
his life; free from the cares and anxieties which he willingly takes
upon himself—when I see a man of large fortune living as he
does, where the humblest classes see him—willing to lift up the
humble man to a level with himself—l say that man ought
to be honoured as the greatest of all characters.—(Cheers.)
Flattery, I know, can be pleasant neither to Colonel Thomp-
son nor to me ; but 1 mean to say that he is the most amiable
of my acquaintance. I have a theory that political ehon.mists
are the most amiable of men; and I remember Sir J. Maekintosh
says that the three great political economists—Adam Smith,
David Ricardo, arid the Bev. Mr Malthus—were the
most amiable men he had ever known. I . add Colonel
Thompson to the number ; and say he is the most amiable
man of my acquaintance.—(Loud cheers.) if a man
give a bad vote, 1 am disposed to treat him just as Henry
Clay desired to be treated. He gave what was considered a
bad vote; and when he went down to Kentucky, he met an
old backwoodsman with a rifle with which he had been shoot-
ing squirrels. Clay asked him for his vote. " No, no," said
the man," I'll never vote for you again ; you gave a bad vote
the other day." " Well," said Clay, "what sort of a rifle is
that ?" " Never was a better," was the reply, "It never
missed fire but once." " And what did you do then?" was
Clay's next question. " Why, I nicked the flint, and tried
again."—(Loud laughter, and applause.) " Well, then I think
you had better do the same—nick the flint, and try again with
me." • Now I don't know that. Colonel Thompson has any
bad vote recorded that can now be raked up against him ; but
if there
,be, why, nick the flint, and let him try again.—
(Laughter and applause,)
The CHAIRMAN then called upon John Bright, Esq., M.P.
for Onrham, to address the meeting.
Mr. BRIGHT observed—This is the ninth meeting I have
attended during the progress •of the contest, and I may
my, without exaggeration, that however numerous and
enthusiastic the other meetings were, this excels them all.
We come before you, not as electors of Sunderland, nor yet
as private individuals, .who, of our own minds, have left
our own bushiest to interfere with you ; but we come here
(and I consider I do Not overstep the line of strict modesty
when I say it) deputed by a hundred or more of the
towns of this kingdom, and thousands and millions of your
countrymen; to explain what is the cause of the terrible suf •
feringswhich the people endure—to ask that now, when you
have the power, to strike a heavy, I trust it may be a
deadly, blow against the foulest injustice and crime which
any Government ever perpetrated against any. people, . you,
the electors, will indignantly scent all those mean and
base, sordid and insulting • considerations that have been
laid before you, and judge rightly for yourselves, lightly for
your country, and for those . great principles of justice and
mercy, which, if not paramount in the Government, can never
tend to the prosperity of the people.—(Great cheering.) We
come with a very simple, yet forcible statement; to arraign
before the constituency of this borough a law which restricts
the supply of 'food, and dooms the poorest' of the people perio-
dically to the suffering and misery .of famine. The corn-law
is a faminelaw ; the men who passed it, and the men who
support it, if they know its object and tendency, are
men who legislated for famine, ant whose only end—if it
operate at all—must be to produce famine, scarcity, and want
amongst the poorest of the people. Can anything be more
outrageous, more frightfully unjust than such a law
as this ?_(Hear, hear.) There is not a clime under heaven
where man can live in which wheat cannot be grown ; there
is not a man tinder heaven to whom wheat -is not a whole-
sonic article of food ; there is not probably another
product en the earth's surface which will stand so many vicissi-
tudes of climate and still come to. maturity. All this shows
that this great etaple article of human existence, wherever grown,
was intended for the whole human family. At this moment,
on the continent of America, there is a. bountiful harvest ;
there, is also a stock remaining over from last year's harvest ;
it has been there waiting twelve months. and no buyers from
this country have been found.' The President of that' great
Republic has stated in one of those important documents which
he is in the habit of submitting to the American Legislature.
that the greatest dtfficulty found in that country is, to secure
purchasers for their surplus produce. Why is this, then, that
now, when the sun does nut shine, and the rain unsparingly
descends, that throughout the length and breadth of the land
there is a sensitiveness and tremottr, such as one would think
no insane person would subject us to if be knew how to avoid it.

RELATiVE CLOSING PRICES OF IitMLAVAY SHARES

IN THE

PiUNCIPAL CLUES AND TOWNS IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND.

NAMES OF RAILWAYS. I Low

Liver-
lon. pool.

Man-
chestet

Aberdeen
Arbroath arid Forfar

Ditto Half Shares .
Armagh, Coln, & Portrush
Belfast and Ballymena
Belfast and County Down
Birkuhd, Lan. Sr Ches, Jnc.
Birmingham and Glo'ster
Do.. New ( iss. at 7% dis.)
Ditto Half Shares
Birminghm & Oxfrd. June.
BlCkburn, Chrly, & Un.
Blackburn, Darwn, & goltn
Bolton, Wigan, Sr Liverpl.
Brighton, Lewes, and Hast
Bristid and Exeter
Ditto Neu
Bristol ,nitl Gloucester . •••

Caledonian .
Ditto Extension -
Cambridge and Lineoln ,
Chester and Birkenhead
Ditto New Shares .
Ditto Half Shares
Chester and Holyhead
Cheltenham and Oxford
Chichester and. Brighton
Cliui•net Valley
Clydesdale Junction .
Corll and Bandon
Cork anA.Killarney..•,
Cork and Waterford
Cork andYotighal.
Covntry, Bedwrth, & Nun.
Coventry and Leicester
Cornwall'.'
Diss, Beccies, and Yarmoth
Direct Northern
Direct Norwich ......
Dublin and Belfast Jima.
Dublin, Belfast, & Colraine
Dublin and Ga1way........
Dundalk and Enniskillen—
Dundee and Arbroath

Ditto New.........
Dundee and Perth..
Eastern Counties
Do. New
Do. Perp., 5 pr Cut., No. 1
Do. ditto N 0.2
East Dereham & Norwich
Eastern Union
Ditto Extension
Edinbgh, Glas.' and Duet..
Edinburgh andGliv:gowi...
Do. Quarter Share,
Do. New Quarter Shares
Edinb., lAth,and Granton
Ditto Pref. 5 per Cent.
Edinburgh and Northern
Edinburgh and I'eebleshire
Euinburgh and Perth
Ely and ,Bedford
Enniskillen and Sligo
Exeter,Yeovil, & Dorchstr
Garukirk and Glasgow
Glasgow and Ayr
Do. Qualter"Shares.
and'Greema
! Ditto
Zhttb Prefer once
Glasgow, Drnfries, and Car.
Goole and Doncaster.
Grand alio .
Ditto Half Shares
Dit to.Qu'arter Shares
Ditto New
Ditto
Grand Union
Great Grinr.by & Sholield
Gt Sothrn & W.trit (Irelnd)
Ditto Extension
Great Munster .........
Great Northern of St:oond
Great Northern of Englud
Do. New, 40/. Shares
Do. New, 301. Shares
Great Western
Ditto Half Shares ..
Ditto Fifths ...
Guildfrd, Farehm, & Ports.

971 A
111/2

!Aug.l2.lAug.l2.

2014
7p

1:

23%

50%

Harwich .
llndrsfhl & Man. R. & Can
Huddersfield and Sheffield
dull and Gains,horough
Hull and Selby
Ditto Quarter Shares
Ditto Half Shares.
Inverness and Elgin ..
Kendal' and Windermere..
Kingstown and Bray
Killarney Junctions •
Lancaster and Carlisle.....
Leeds and Bradford
Leeds and Dewsbury
Leeds and Thirsk
Leeds and W. Riding JIMU
Leicester and Birmingham
Leicester and Bedford
Limerick and Waterford
Limrck, E;inis,& Kit. Junc.
Lincoln, York, and Leeds
Liverpool and Manchester
Ditt,, Half Shares
Ditto Quarter Shares
Livrpl, Ormskirk. & Prestn
Londou.and Birmingham
Ditto Thirds
Ditto Quarters
London and Blackwell
London and Brighton
Do. Cnsolidated Eighths
London and Croydon.
Ditto New
Do. Guarautd. 5 per cent
London and Greenwich
Do. Prefrnc. or Privilege
London & South Western
Do. New Cone. Eighths
Do. New, 50/. Shares
Do. New, 401. Shares
London and York
London and Windsor
Loin In, Salisbury, & Yeovil
Londonderry andeoleraine
-Londonderry & Enniskillen
Lynn and Ely
Lynn and Dereham...
Manchester and Leeds
Ditto Half Shares
Ditto Quarter Shares
Ditto SiXteenthS
Manchester & Binninghm
Ditte, Quarter Shares
Do. New Quarter Shares
Anchest r,•Bolton, & Bury
Manchstr, Bury, &Rosemil.
Manchstr, Buxtn, & Matlk
Midland...
Ditto Fifths
Ditto New
Do. Cons. ',inn & Derby
Midland Gt Westin (Irish)
Do Extension to Sligo..
Nwcaat & Darlmgtn June
Do. 'New (Brandling)...
Newcastle and Berwick ...
Newcastle and Carlisle ....
Newport and Abergavenny
Newry. and Enniskillen....
Newark and Sheffield......
North British •
Ditto Half shares—.
Northern and Eastern
• Do: Scrip (iss.• at 5 'ills.)
Do.' Quarter' Shares
North Kent
North .Staffordshire •
North Ea .tern
North. Union (A)
Ditto (B)
North .Wales Mineral
Ditto New Shares .
North Westeni
North Wales
Norwich and Brandon.....
Ditto 'New'
Not.,llelvoir, and Granthm
Nottingham and Boston ...
Nott., Erewsh Val. & Man.
Not tingham and Mansfield
Oxford and Binning. Junc
Oxford and Worcester
Perth and Inverness
Portsmouth Direct
Preston and Wyre •
Ditto Half Shares
Do. Pret: 5 per Ct.'Guar
Do. Pref. 5 per Ct. is div
Richmnd and W. End .1 uric
Rugby, Worcester, & Tring
Scottish Central .......
Scottish Midland
Slit:Meld and Manchester
Ditto Quarter Shares

245
55
36
10

10
2;i'q

2214
%

6V

81/2

......
21/3

245.

934

_
31/2

2%

Bristol

lAug.l2.

2
.''
1. qy ,T, .—t-.+g
~.......4.... a'l . .1...,:,

r r
21S: 225.

„I 0,7

53" t2'--
—4
T.
61 4-,,,50 . ' 'fr 7.11744

--45 I 73M

264 26
13,/:, 1134
151,i 14
43s 6.1.
333 3

121„4
601/:2

-6
15 71-161

43/4
203

3 2 34

VI ~:1

y 2 1 _
25

32

14 11-16,

York

3%

!Aug.ll.

28

Leeds.

Aug.l2.

_,

725.

~~ ".

%%

14 13-16

:ull. Had,

llders-1
d. Sheffield., Glasgow. j Dublin,

Closed: lAug. 7.

'9s. 11.

l3?/y

-
3514

63/

734

-
6%

,535. 4d.

5514

129
161
12%

30
1616
124

14%
18,;. p
403.

61,4

.t.
,

7

1Aug.12.1 Aug.ll.

I` -in,.

T~~a ~

f.. _ .~

Ditto ditto (No. 2)
Ditto ditto (No. 3)
Sheffield and Lincoln
Shrewsb., War., and Crewe
Shrews.,Wolv.,Dndly,&l3ir
Shrewsbry & Trot Val. Lin.
Shrewsb, Herefd,&N.Wals
Slamannan . •
South Devon'.
South Midland
South Eastern and Dover
Do. New•( iss. 321.) No. I
Do. (iss. 331.65.8 d.)„ 2
Do (iat.301.) „3
Staines and Richmond....
Staffordshire & Shropshire
Stirl;.ng and Dunferniline..
South \Vales
Trent Valley
Do. and Holyhead June
West London, Old Shares
West End & Southrn Coun
Wexford and Carlow
Warwick and Cheltenhani
Waterford and Kilkenny
Watrfd.Wekfd,Wick&Dub
Waktid,Pontefrct, & lxucle
Wakefield • and Harrogate
Warwick and London
West Lancashire
Worcester and Tring • .....
\Vhitehaven and Furness..
Do, New Halt Shares...
Wel3h Midland
West Cornwall
West YorkAdr,
Wilts, SonirSt. & \Veynith
Yarmouth and Norwich
Ditto New -
York and Carlisle
York•and North Midland
Ditto [half
So,o-buro ugh lkanch
Se;lo‘•

345. p

~.a

~Q ~' - „:
.fE i,

.~

_ .a ,_.

15%

101,4
575. 6di

22

?OV,,

e
5 1/s

,9%

35,. 6d

23 V.;

.4.•t•1 ~ti 9

4,

71. 14s,

i-. --

21s.

5 (t 5-16 - -

61s.
,3%
33A
31A

7%

122a.6d.p

.)./4

3 11-161
3%'
314

39 tA

2714

•
26

3p

24
265. p

243

24%

29%

141,4

1, 6d.pl

3 8 .34

24 -;,4

445.

7%1.

3,1, 17s.

2334

365.

21
3/%4

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

.I:tESIINGTON'S LONDCri
AND MANCHESTER DIRECT INDEPENDEN'I7
RAILWAY.
We noticed in our last the unscrupulous manner in
which the promoters of a quasi-competing " l)ireet"
from London to Manchester had " apprepriated" some
of the peculiar features of Remirgton's—the elder, better,
and more popular lino. Mr. Ashurst is the person who
has acted thus ; and, by way of showing how far the op-
posite of modesty may be carried; he now charges the
promoters of Remington's line with having been later
in the field than himselt and (inferentially) with having
taken up his ideas. Thus doth Augustus Muzzlewig,
who perpetrates middling rhymes in toe Bullock srnithw
Gazelle, " convey" whole pages from " Paradise Lost,"
and declare that his prose-run-mad was written-long be-
fore Milton flourished !
The test of priority is simple. We have it and shall
apply it. Let us look to the registration of the two
pr. ij ects.
On the Ist of November, 1844, Mr. Remington regis-
tered his line :
" For making a direct railway from London, com•
meneing at or near Battle-bridge, to Manchester and
York r..spectively, by one trunk line to Bedford or
thereabouts, and thence diverging north-westward to
Manchester, and north-eastwardto Yoi k."
The prospectus, registered at the same time, was
sutntned up thus in the registration:—
" Pro;;p:•ctirs of the Direct London, Manchester, and
York Railway, via Bedford, taking in its route Chipping
Barnet, St. Alban's, Luton, Silsoe, Ampthill, and Bed-
ford. diverging. thence north-westwards to. Manchester
by Wellingborough, K-ttering, Market Harborough,
Leicester, Loughborough, Derby, Utroxeter, Cheadle,
Leek, and Macclesfield ; and north-eastwards to York
by High= Ferrars, Thrapston, Oundle, S amford,
Grantham, Newark, between Retford and Gainsborough
to Thorne, Snaith, and Selby. Capital 7,000,0001., in
shares of 501. each. Deposit 21. 10s. per share."
The !inject thus registered remained in state quo
until the Ist of May, when it was revived by public
advertisement by the Bedford solicitor of the line, and,
on the 24th of that month, was a a second time re-
gist,red. by Mr. Remington. as-follows
" DIRECT. INDEPENDENT LONDON AND MANCHESTER
RAlLWAY,—Coinineli& it :King's-cross, at the north
end of. Gray's-inn road, and thence round
to Friern Barnet, Chipping. Barnet, St. Alban's, Luton,
Silsoe,..Ampthill, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering,
Market Harborough; and .Leicester ; thence across the
Swannington and Leicester Railway to Burton-upon-
Trent, Uttoxeter, Tean, Cheadle, Leek, Stockport, and
Manchester."
Ashurst's "Direct" -line was not registered until the
22nd of May, exactly six months and twienty-one days
after Remington's hail
.beeri registered.. It .was' entered
as " The Direct .London and Manchester Railway Com-
pany, carriers by. railway of passengers, goods and mer-
chandise between London and Mair.;hester." The par-
liatnentary announcement was as follows :
" It is intended to commence in London at Furring-
don-street, and to take in its route the billowing towns,
as nearly as consistent with the surveys now in progress,
viz. :—Highgate, Finchley, Barnet, St. Alban's, serving
Dunstable, Luton, 'Woburn, Ampthill, Wellingborough,
K-ttering, Market Harborough, joining the Midland
Counties Railway at Leicester. . (it is intended to proceed
for thirty miles to Derby on th ;t line.) It will then take
its course to Ashbourne, thence near to Hartingtin and
rLoagnon* Liasain*,midway,betwgen Buxton, to. Maccles-
dela, each of which lines is only four miles distant from
the-.ptopomed,4ine •.(lireot, 404stitockport,
,and4nwil-I•,*nce
lolrrnh,rsiine ,funs.!:froaithat..lihe to-•_itratierminus
1. 'at Manchesler."
So much for priority of design ! Now letour,yeaders
compare..ths Asharit,;project
with. its prtaent ac/4 e,icd. / .PArPO4e,.and What they
4,21 j? Aug: #,l,;reg;gpcoi, ihen,isyery diffe-
rent from the line now adv,rtited.. The alterf;tiones are
about ks daysiskt! origiimb plan. was ant for one
&era litre froldli-ondon to-,Maneliestway 'but far a series
• of links, each dependant on the other. 'Therefore, it had
no claim to the name of " independent " and " direct."
Besides, Ashurst's original line would g.) to Manchester
by a route • very diffui'ent from that proposed at the
eleventh hour—a route " borrowed "fr m Mr. Remin-
gton. Thus the case is elenr--- the origi,ial line is th own
overboard, and Mr, Ashurst has quietly taken up the I ical

line.
This is "stealing the brooms ready-made." Nine
years ago Mr. Remington planned and surveyed this ad-
mirable line. • Is the triumph, the advantage of making
it to be taken from him, on the eve of success, by a rival
who merely abandons his own crude plans, and appro-
priates what it is t•lear he could not make?

SOUTHAMPTON AND MANCHESTER.
A numerous meeting took place on Tuesday at the Town-hall,
Southampton, for the purpose of expressing an opinion as to
the expediency of supporting the project which hail been laid
before the public for the establishment of a direct line of rail-
way communication' between Southampton and Manchester.
At half-past twelve o'clock the chair was taken by Captain
Griffiths, the Mayor of Southampton.
Mr. LONG, the sectetary, having read the requisition calling
the meeting,
His WORM?, the chairman, said that it afforded him the
most sincere gratification to preside over that meeting, feeling
as he did that the prosperity 'of 'Southampton must be im-
mensely increased by a direct communication between Man-
chester' and Southampton.' The advantages of such a com-
munication were so evident that he believed these was not an
individual in the town of Southampton who did not perceive
them ;Wand be was'delighted to be able to assure the meeting
that he had not the slightest doubt as to the success of the
project. ---( Hear, hear ) The position of Southampton was pecu-
liarly favourable a, regarded the import of East and West In-
diAn produce, and the export of those manufactured articles
which were required by the markets of the East and West
Indies.—( Cheer:. ) It eras of the greatest possible advantage
that they should be enabled to supply to the vessel which landed
her cargo' of sugar from the West Indies a return' cargo of
those articles which were required in those islands, namely.
the manufactured produce of the northern and other districts,
and this could be effected in the most rapid and economical
manner, by opening a cemtnunication betvitehi the manufac-
turing and Mining districts of the country and the port of
Southamptoa.—(Cheers.). He was most desirous to see this
project carried out. He was confident of its succe,s, and he
hoped that, whoever should'he Mayor of Southainp`on during
the next year, would follows- up his views. The project had
received the afraime4, support from fhe'commercial 'gentlemen
who had heard of it, and it was but yesterday that he heard
that a ComMetclalgentlernir;- in Londou, who had merely seen
the prospectus, had stated his desire to become the purchaser
of 300 shares, so palpable Were the advantages which must
result from this line of communication.—(Cheers.) There
could be ne dattbt in 'the Mind of any man of experience as
to the success of the project, and he looked upon it as calcu-
lated to be of service, not merely to Southampton and Man-
chester and the intermediate towns, but to the country gene-
rally.—( Cheers. )
Mr. LAISHLEY moved the first resolution, which was to the
effect'that, in' the opinion of the meeting, it was of • the utmost
importance to the town of Southampton that railway communi-
cation.in the most direct course should be promoted between
the port of Southampton and the manufacturing and mineral
districts of the kingdom. He congratulated the meeting upon
the unanimity which all parties displayed with reference to a
direct communication between the manufacturing district, in
the north of England and the port of Southampton. The
meeting, which might be truly said to represent the opinion of
the whole town, , displayed a degree of unanimity which had
not been witnessed before by the oldest inhabitant; and he could
only attribute that to the general appreciation of the great
advantage which such a communication as that which was
now projected would confer, not only on Southampton, but
on the country generally.—(Hear, hear.) They had wit-
nested an immense increase in the exports of Southampton
in a few years, since the establishment of the South Western
Railway. Mr. Edwards. the collector of customs, had stated
before a Parliamentary Committee, that in the year 1841 the
exports of Southampton amounted to 700,0401.. and that
in the year 1644 t'ney had increased to 3,000.00e1., two-
thirds of that export being manufactured produce and he
added that if this line were opened, the exports would in the
next year, in his opinion, amount to 10,000,000/. sterling.—
( Hear,'hear. ) Those were the opinions of the collector of the
port of Southampton ; they showed the view which he took of
the probable increase in the exports ; and of course it was
almost unnecessary for him (Mr. Laishley ) to say that if their
exports increased their imports would be likely also to in-
crease ; and even now, according to the statement of Mr.
Edwards, the imports to the port of Southampton of raw
material for the manufacturing districts in the north had
greatly increased.—( Hear, hear.) That import of raw material
for the manufacturing districts through the port of Southamp-
ton, showed that others had seen the advantages and facilities
for traffic of Southampton more plainly than its own inhabit-
ants. -That,-however, was not so mica a matter of surprise as
the reflection that the inhabitants of the north an,l south of
England had net years ago perceived the advantages of com.
municataon with foreign countries which Southampton afforded,
and that this line had not been projected at au earlier period.
( Hear, hear.) Southampton was now a packet station, hut.
it was not at all a matter of certainty that. it .would continue
so much longer, and the only way in his opinion to make
such a matter certain was to open this communication with
the north, in which case there could be no doubt that South-
ampton would be retained as a packet station, so that this afforded
another reason, if such were wanting, why the inhabitants of
Southampton should be desirous to see the direct line between
the port and Manchester established. It ought to be recol-
lected that opening -uch a means of traffic would greatly increase
the power of tradesmen in Southampton, who now had a com-
paratively limited field of operation to extend their proceedings
and amass princely fortunes, by standing, like the London
tradesmen, between the manufacturers and immense numbers
of. consumers. It was that which enabled the London trades-
men to amass euchsums of money, and he wished to see the same
facilities afforded to the _tradesmen of. Southampton.--( Hear.
hear.) The line which had been proposed by the Manchester
and Southampton Railway Company was one that possessed
great advantages; one of the principal of which was,
it would pats through, a line .of country, a great portionhat
t
which was remaikably. deficient in railway communication ,
looking at , it in another view, they would find it
opening up-in those districts a market for the produce of Spain,
Portugal, tbe Mediterranean, and the East. and. West Indies,
and, an opportunity of pending off their. manufactured produce
in return.—( Cheers. ). The benefits which would be conferred
on the towns through which that line of communication would
pass were very numerous, for not only would the commercial
prOsperity of all, the districts through which it passed be in-
creased, but the inhabitants* of many of the towns through
which it was to pass, who-now only read of the scenery and sa-
lubrious air of Southampton, could, when the line was esta-
blished, enjoy the pleasures which such' invigorating air and
beautiful scenery afforded. He had shortly alluded to the prin.
cipal and more immediate results which might be expected to
follow fiom the establishment of a direct communication by
railway between Southampton and Manchester, and he should
without further trepassing on the time of the meeting, propose
the' resolution which 'he held in his hand.
Dr. CLARKE seconded the resolution.
Mr. 'ANDREWS Bald that he had heard of auother line of
communication different from that which bad been proposed
by the Manchester and Southampton Railway Company, and
if any of those who were at the meeting were favourable to
that line, he hoped they would state the particulars and rea-
sons which induced, them to prefer it to that which had been
already approved-of by the; town council. He knew nothing
of this line himself, which appeared to be an adverse line •to
that which had been approved of already by the people of
Southamptob, and he only knew of such a line being projected
by having a paper sent to him that morning, marked private
arid cOnfidential"—( A laugh)-=and acquainting' him that such
an adveree project was in contemplation, That cornmunicae
tion could not have been sent to any one less capable of keeping
the existence of such a project a secret than he.—(Laughter.)
The best way in whieh to give publicity to such an under-