The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-17 00:00:00

rlt
'"c.-TRADE MEETING AT _BIR-
MINGHAM.
apee,atiNcriam. DEC. 15—A numerous and highly re-
:"10 meeting was held this day in the Town-hail
,
fur t;llleci Henry Smith, Esq., mayor of the b.)rou,;ll,
by e Purpose set forth in the following requisition,
h,„ for con,idering the propt•kty of memorialising
of th 3jestY's Govertiment for the immediate opening
eon e ports of the United Kingdom for the free admis-
,,,,Cfall kinds of fereign grain and provisions."
%due requisition was signed by upwards of two thou-
gieeresPeclable merchants and tradesmen, and in corn-
toce with their request the Mayor called the meeting
Shore day. Twelve o'clock was the hour appointed.
„ ,Y after that time the hall was crowded to excess.
Ifellitne Platform we noticed amongst others—G. F.
Stet:' Esq,, M.P., Richard Spooner, Esq., M.P., H.
Aid P. H. Muntz, and Wm. Scholefield, Esqrs.;
g_ertnen Vanwart, Beale, Weston, Bolton, Geach,
,;:to, Thornton ; Councillors Baldwin, Smith, Corah,
tserPllt, Perry, Webster, Clifford, Malchett, Middle-
tdi:, Barlow, &c. ; Thomas Redfern, Esq., George
tag °III,CIS, Esq., Joseph Sturge, Esq., Charles Sturge,
Il •"- K. Douglas, Esq., Thomas Eyre Lee, Esq., Ed.
tk„
'. sq., Lucas Chance, Esq and many of the most
titntial men in the town, of all parties.
ope NAY SMITH, Esq., Mayor, having taken his seat,
loisinezid the business by saying he held in his hand a re-
of en.", signed by a number of names, equal, in point
pert`:Peetability, in point of station and commercial im-
tstee, to any which he had ever before seen attached
fzee aajkluisition got up in that town ; and bearing that
het Ind, he could not hesitate one moment to con
opper,lnera together, in order to afford the inhabitants an
ket,' ``uptlitY of expressing their. opinions upon. the sub-
loestieLe had his own opinions upon the important
there f.ll involved in the requisition ; but he was not
hfp3sor the purpose of annunciating them, but for the
4he: of collecting the opinions of others. Believing,
tone mtd, that the question was one the most vitally
meat
with their interests, and the interests of the
Itett Unity at large ; and also believing that they we
i° consider and discuss it at a crisis in the affairAW
teed •
istl, ke vna the most important that ever was witnessed,
4%1 "Is opinion, the most serious that could ever as-
tete:them together, he entreated them to bring all that
Sea, that judgment, and good sense, which they
lootAP°llsessed of, and which the importance of the sub-
vreilserved, to the consideration of the resolution which
tlek be brought forward. He had now only to remind
Kt that this meeting was called to consider the pro-
opftki. memoralising her Majesty's Government to
llltieCe ports, and to admit into the country that food
tem.. the people stood in need of. But he had also to
peirold them, that consistently with good order every
Ilk: who was present had a right to be heard so long
Re e adhered to the immediate object for which they
i iissembled. He asked them, therefore, for a patient
thiektPartial hearing for every gentleman who might
toe._Prnper to address them, and he should do his duty
fete for every speaker that attention to which he
Vhe entitled.—(Loud applause.)
kteCROLEFIELD Esq., then presented himself to the
h% and was received with great cheering. After
lon:,.ce said, nothing but the conviction of the great im-
SaCce of the business for which they were assembled
tit') have induced him to appear before them as the mover
04 °first resolution. The Committee called upon him for
..SithPeurPose of submitting it to their consideration, and
'4llo:,ttulY further apology he begged leave to move the
'flg resolution :—" Tnat this meeting cordially sym-
leCvs with those vast multitudes of their fellow-sub.
kiel who have already made known to her Majesty's
totrei tsta rs their apprehensions as to an impending
lota,lY, and their anxious wishes for a repeal of the
4", the existence of which checks the free use and
Steent of the necessaries of life." They would need
the Pi, merit to prove to them, that in consequence of
llootZure of the potato crop, the country was in immi-
Renrrii and in great danger of famine. Mr. Dugdale,
titst%the Members of North Warwickshire, had told
Siseslna recent speech that they had this year an enor-
Si )estop of corn. If that was the case, he (Mr. Schole-
40e; Gentleman
very glad of it, but he was afraid that the
Rte `4entleman would get very few to believe that such
teally the fact.—(Hear.) He (Nlr. S.) hoped
test should be able that day to view the question as
tklk t„,lrelY of fact, and irrespective of any topics cal
kettez sto create angry feelings amongst them.—
kte"*.) There was no necessity for referring to mere
c,
ciLpolitics. They were met to consider a grave and
iereirg question, and one in which the dearest in-
'
tken: of all present were ivolved. It was now a
eleill"lst bread was rising in prnice, that potatoes were
etgtiu price, and that it was to be feared ere long
ettsuZY would exist in the land. Under these cir-
Oiee "'flees he hesitated not to say that the present
110,11ent ought to be the most fervent, the most deter-
-447 they had ever yet made.—(Loud cheers.) That
Stlfel!frn-laws were an evil of the first magnitude was
Iklek:;dd by all who had ever seriously and honestly con-
Ski the subject, and he believed there never were
combination of circumstances existing at any
kosOil 'since their enactment so favourable to their re-
ofni tits at the present moment. Through the exertions
ten as Mr. Cobden and Mr. Bright the fallacy of
thoylittues,l protection had been exposed. The agitation
hoscarried on throughout the country had convinced all
tit•e,oPinions were worth having in the agricultural
hatilte's, that what was called protection was in reality no
!beak:ion to the farmer. That agitation had converted
"147,'est of the Whig leaders—(Cheers)—and that agi-
tot ri," had upset the strongest Ministry that had existed
kov":"°Y years in this country. That agitation had
Of t',.`l, beyond the possibility of doubt, the iniquity
ts that
corn-laws, and had aroused public opinion
ttle,sitt point that if they could not now sue-
lost ',,.getting a repeal of the corn-law: from the pre-
ea of Commons, they must look forward to
t alteration in the constitution of that House, and
10eidrIste,. d that if ever the time should come when it
Rat be found that the present constituency were
ka,211 to the eraergencies of the country, such an iT-
441sZeot would be made in it as would render it. stilt.-
title' the wants of the nation. He trusted that if this
tL!laeuld arrive that if the opinion of the working
1147. did net come up to the notions of the middle
litt4ll Pon the point of suffrage, the middle class would
s's to the opinion of the working class.—(Cheers.)
tikkall hazards, by all legitimate means, and within
St4's of the constitution, they must have an imme-
11aLlI.1 unconditional repeal of the corn-laws.
~
, 84ELsosi seconded the resolution.
STURGE, Esq., then proposed an amendment,
tve:_g reference to the franchise, which was afterwards
leled by the Mayor.
444' Alderman WESTON next briefly addressed the
ng.i
-oRN MASON, a Chartist leader, on the part of
th, Working classes, expressed their earnest desire for
ts.teteoval of the corn-laws.---(Loud cheers.) The
141 Mawslu had been always opposed by the leaders of
41;_e°Ple.
kttrGE EDMONDS, Esq., Clerk of the Peace, next
Itstil2ted himself to the meeting, and was received with
litied7,lous cheering. When the applause had sub-
%et • 'le said—Seven years ago, eight thousand persons
is,lo that hall, and then Mr. Muntz, their Hon. Mem-
tiot f,..4441 declared his opinion that the corn-laws ought
4lie be removed until they altered the money-laws,
foN3'et that gentleman had now been obliged to come
and vote for a repeal of the corn-laws, because
4,14-1,41 d not get an alteration of the money-laws. Their
, ,„kiL friend, Mr. Thomas Attwood, had also been of
gtik—t,,ilar opinion ; but he (Mr. Edmonds) was now de-
ha'' at being:Able to read to the meeting a letter
tr, had been sent from Mr.
.Thomas Attwood. Mr.
ttet. -14 read a letter from Mr. Attwood, expressing re-
%C.', his net being able to attend the meeting. From
Ott important document they would perceive that Mr.
to ,Wood was now decidedly in favour of an im-
teetilLte repeal of the corn-laws.---(Loud and long-
Stalled cheering. In the year 1815, when the
'see-racy forced the corn-laws upon the country,
Ike were told what the consequences would be, but
qkdespised all warnings. They surrounded the House
Ike ounons with soldiers and cannon, and in spite of'
people they imposed the heavy yoke upon them
" they had now borne for thirty years—(Hear)—
le :thick" it appeared they were determined no longer
Diure.—(Cheers.) The repeal of the corn-laws was
ii tactical question. It was one which the people could
It, settle if they were only unanimously resolved upon
,thsvul if they now let the golden opportunity slip—if
to i',,_leferred the question of the corn laws, or attempted
ka;ustitute the suffrage, or currency, or any other mea-
keibillitbe place of it, they might depend upon it they
k nave reason to regret their conduct.
1.• UuNTz, M.P., next addressed the meeting. He
sald
(14,athat, as the name of Mr. Attwood had been intro-
!ta:4l be felt it his duty to state that he had long
.4e 14,--tTace of that gentleman's character, and he could
his te,:timony to the fact that if he had any
Niz„"' it was the possession of too kindly a heart—
t citers)—infinitely too kindly for a place with which
!ky—C„r• Muntz) had been well acquainted for the last
rtlti -tahrs•--(Laughter.) He (Mr. Mentz) was of opinion
Ook corn-laws ought to be repealed; but he did not
tits for such results from their abolition as some par-
qteiltPected. Indeed, he believed that in twelve months
Nevi their abolition every man in England would be
1110,11°ed that more was required for the prosperity of
uelie—„"try that a repeal of the corn-laws. Whilst he
441644 that the abolition of the corn-laws was not the
hipjpittleasure which was required in order to secure the
their measure
of the country, yet he was an advocate for
Chi 4001ition, as it would have a tendency to effect the
floe success success of just and correct principles of 1-gisla-
the --;(1.oud cheers.) lie had stated in his address to
fe'eetors of Birmingham in 1839 that he was in
air of the principles of free-trade, and as the basis of
life , Principles a free-trade in the prime necessary of
herecrro, and in gold and silver as well, and he still ad-
that to those opinions.—(Bear, hear.) He thought
sitte2o order to remove the evils under which we
batOti, there ought to be a change in the money laws;
ea 0,17 found from his experience. ;11 the House of Corn-
, that both parties were disinclined to carry that
ile7ation into effect, and he did not feel on that account
should be justified in refusing to exert himself to pr,,-
‘4d a repeal of the corn-laws.—(Cheers.) Agriculture
isot_kanufactures were both the same as regarded their
pro,Tercial nature. Agriculture was undertaken for
h;_`l_,‘ just as manufactures, and they ought to be both
ii`l 7tt in the same position, one not having more protec-
hi'alicithan zinther.—(Cheers.) He felt it, however, to be
vrhiitilt3" to eautioi: them, as to his view of the effect
law Was to b from a repeal of the corn,
e expecte.
of 4: ill. order that when they were 7nealed the people
a b, deceivedtorn them as to the result of the abolitions
sikeNvlawa, The country requir, d not only that the
s should be abolished, but that sugar and other
fr articles of eo •
eelY int usumption should also be allowed to enter
leetne4 :cth. e country. He could not agree to the cor-
lowo the argument that we ought not to be al-
to to _
ittve.„rn Lay stave grown sugar, whilst we used
!Noll; "tw cotton, and coffee, and tobacco. Their ex -
I:eriftsedo the
an end to the slave-trade had rather
no eased at t.,1! horrors of that trade, whilst it had
all diminished the number of slaves imported.