The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-12 00:00:00

EVEITIN74- sC N

THE . GRE
ANTI-C 0 RN-LAW
CONFERENCE.
(YESTERDAY.)

Mr. JosEnt STURGI (in continuation from our After-
mime Editioe • of yesterday) said—He. might here mention
that he had been shut •out •of tlie lobby of the House of
Creensons- on Wednesday evening: lie did not regret it—
he 'thought it rather a. privilege. A 7tauo:) -But
alter a while he received 'a message from the" SpAkereeto
the effect that he. 'should" be admitted, and he cauld- say
that at' the time, which was between six and seven o'clock
in the evening, the lobby was not half so crowded as he had
seen it on other occasions.—(Hear, hear, nerd " Shame.") •To
re:ern to the account of tho passing of the corn-laws, as re-
lased in 'the " Gentleman's Magazine," 'be" should
mind the meeting. that mobs -assembled before 'the. j•lna4
of eome pereens who were -eueporters of that law, amongst
others that of Mr. Robirison (Cries cf " Lioderich,"
" -Helene! and hisses)—and 'some lives were lost. This was
the•aneterwit of td;e inquests on'Edward Viz and'Jane Watson :
—"; The t.ereneeli.inquest whei"rlat on the body of this unfortu-
nate plyth; hay.upf6i,trif4 a verdict Cr' Wilful murder against some
shot from tied out of fire-areas front Mr.
pereon oreporeods bring
Rebinsorets liedis•parlmer windows,', aid their verdict was ac-
companied by the lenowing obsersations Ist. It is the opinion
of the Joey that the. military acted improperly in entering, the
house of sir. Rebegen. without proper authority to do so. 2rl.
It is the (minion of ttre „fury that, Pram the evidence adduced,
there was no necessity fors firing with shot at the time Edward
Vise met his death. d. it is also their opinion that the thine
&Yee unconstitutional, in notheing ordered by civil authorities;-'
Vie Jury on Jane Watson have returned a verdict of Wilful
Murder against Mr. Robinson's butler and three soldiers."-
--(Loud cries of Hear, hear.) There was another remarkable
caes which he observed in connection with this 'question, which
they (the Conference) were discussing from year to- year. This
measure was introduced on Monday, pasted through both
Houses, arid received the Royal Assent on Friday- • (Hear,•
hear, and Shame.) But he also found. something which was
honourable to the City of London.—(Hear, hear.) He would
read it from the same chronicle :—" The Corn Bill has passed
both Houses of Parliament and has receivedthe Royal Assent.
Among the several petitions to Parliament, that of the City of
London to the House of Commons presented an extraordinary
number of signatures, 40,571 having signed within ten, hours.
The signatures of that addressed to the Lords were estimated at
upwards of 80,000. The Court of Common Council came to a
resolution to petition the Prince Regent to withhold his
assent, and the petition was presented by the Lord Mayor in
State." Mr. Sterge• then made reference; in terms of
the highest eulogy, to the exertions of those 'gentlemen who
report for the public press, anti expressed a regret that
the management of a large portion of the press- was in the
hands of persons who belonged to, one or other of the two
great ministerial factions. He knew well the value of passive
resistance, being a neembh of a sect which acted on this prin.
edple two centuries ago with great success. But in their re-
sistance they should regard the Government only, for they
could consider the Queen as little better than a state prisoner.
—(Cheere.) - They should act on the conviction that it was their
duty pot to contribute the sinews to a Government which op-
preesed the people.—( Cheers.) The time he believed would soon
come. Tiler e were many cheering indications. Between 9,000/.'
and 10,0001. had been contributed to the Bazaar at Manchester,
and this money, in a great degree, had passed through the
fiogevs of the wives and daughters of a most influential class of
the people of England. He hail also the gratification to know
that a great body of the religious and moral community, gene-
rally reluctant to come forward on political occasions, were now
ready to
.jein the ptiople in breaking doWn those laws that were
made and upheld by class legislation.—(Cheers.) Ile believed
there were many in that assembly whose ancestors had made
great. sacrifices. for the cause of civil and religious liberty, who
though they might not be able to trace up their birth to coro-
nets, or to distinguished heads tif the aristocracy, could yet par-
ticipate 'ia, the sentiment of the poet—
" I boast not that I deduce my birth
From loins enthroned, or rulers of the earth,
But higher far my proud pretensions rise,
The son of parents passed into the skies."
—(Cheers.) Appealing now to these men, he would remind
them that much depended on them, and if they exerted them-
selves with unanimous energy, they might look for a peaceful
and triumphant result of this great question.—(Cheers.)
Mr. Duricasee Al'Leeeer seconded the motion with great
pleasure. They had now met for three or four days, and had
amply diecuseed the principles on which the iniquitous Cora
laws were based. They had come to a resolution declaratory
of their ienvielien that nothing short of a total and immediate
repeal of those laws would satisfy them. By their .resolution
of yesterday, they determined to memorialize her Majesty,
to the effect that their demand was so essential to the welfare
of tbe'eountry, that they humbly submitted that no man should
be admitted to her Majesty's
.Councils who was not prepared
to support a total and immediate repeal of the Corn-lases.
"These being their views with regard to the conduct of others,
elieficinference had now to determine what they would do them-
selves. The present resolution told theM. It pledged them to
the declaration that no Member at present in the House
of Common:, who would not vote for Mr. Villiers's
Motion, for total and immediate repeal should receive
their
_support at any future election ; that 'so future
candidate Tbould reueve theii support if he would not
pledge himself to to for a total repeal of the Corn-
andethat t)e Conference recommended all their friends
to pave the same course.—(Cheers.) This was the most
rielltdreant insoluticin, either for good or evil—thotigh he hoped
Ilkra was no chance of the latter—to which the meeting had
come.—( Cheers. ) Yeiterday some excellent friends suggested
that the Conference should show less oratory and more action.
NOw this was a resohition of action.—(Cheers.) Nothing
but the extraordinary necessity of the case could justify it,
for he admitted that a certain freedom, and even an oc-
casional difference of opinion, should .be allowed between
a• . candidate and the constituents.—(Bear, anti cheers.)
But this was not at all a political question. It was much
greater in importance than any Whig or Tory measure. It was
;a question—W hat means were moat. conducive to an immediate
and total repeal .4 the Corn-lawsa—(Cheers.) He (Mr. )
had always ;teen attaoliett to the Whig party, because he be-
lieved their measures were the best for the country. But there
was no charm in a name ; and if, at the next election, lie
should find a man saying he was a gOotl Liberal, but
refusing to support the measure which they considered
tine best for the interests of the country, they, the elec-
tors would have a right to say, Sir, you are not a
real Liberal; you are sailing under 'false coloutsse-(Cheers)
and you are not entitled to our suffrages, unless only en con-
dition• that you agree to support a measure which is really
cateul ted to benefit the community.—(Cheers) But let no
Man vote out of mere spite for an opposite candidate, because the
self-styled-Liberal refused to support an abolition of the Corn-
law. That would be wrong. In such a case, the elector's
hest esurse would be not to vote at all. —(Hear, bear.)
There were nowt about three hundred members in the
-loose of Commons, who would divide on a Liberal question.
All Osese would say that they disapprit ved of the Corn-laws,,
salt, if questioned, they would conceal their opinions
eader a cloud t7f words, It would be found that they were
as much aga.;iss, a .steueal of the torn-laws as the Conserve-
' Llear hear.) 'This was true, and it
tives opposed to them.:---(._
would continue to be The case bong as the people were
emotes-it with appearances. Let them etherefore determine at
last to ate upon this principle; and is °sup- tha.t ordeal it
eltould turn out that they had but two hundresil 'and fifty
Liberal representatives -who were prepared to vote for an
immediate and total' repeal of the CA' wn-laws, yet
the question would receive an impetus far beyond what it had.-
It had apparently large support, but which included many
hollow friends, it not open enemies. This was the' course they
should adopt, and he therefore hoped that the resolution would
be unanimously atiopteil,...and their acted upon. Those being
the opinions he entertained tie the present question, lie seceild
''''neletle by ttra:idly seminaries; the wotiou.—( Cheers. )
The CHAELM4N meet introduced to the Conference. Mr.
Parieerce, of Manchester' who came forward, cud said that
It e had te•ert a member of 01e Manchester Anti-Corn-law Asso-
teethe, from its. commencement. He had been a. member of the
National Anti-Corn-late League from its commencement, anti
Ire therefore hail had etpportunttics of observing to what circum-
stance.; they owe:I their advance from an exceedingly small and
weakly number to their present proud position of strength. He
brdieverl. that that hail been attributed by most of the Members
a the Am's-Corn-law League to the cle mess and explicitness
with which their principles hail been propagated and worked
nut, They liail.oenivineed those who went' at first di-posed to
e 4 that the Anti-Corn-law League was a mete Whig trick—
they tad convinced those by the earnestness and zeal with
which they advocated the cause of Neal and immediate repeal,
that their hearts were in the cause ; and the consequence had
been, that they had trained over all those by whom they were at
present tureounded,Tietermined to pursue the same course as
themselves. Had they in the least suffered themselveeto give
their consideration to any ailrareage likely to be derived from
a fiased dirty or a sliding scale, they would not now hare
the, oiditlemet of the country.—( Hear, hear. ) He would
brhas to their rettollection how great an impulse their move-
ment. zetteived about this time last year from the preceedings
et, the election of Walsall. lie mentioned the circumstance
to show that ruey ought not to throw over-board those who
wore not disposetito To the full-length that they themselves went
in the Reese:a- question. Let them follow up thiir principles
mist tentee events to the working out of those printeples. Last
year a eheaney had occurred in the representation of Walsall,
anti candillatee offered thernsitlves—one connected with the
trileelVnie family, now in office—the other a prang Whig Ater•
Ater:roe imreediately corineeted with the Whig aristocracy. A
ilesertation waited upon dicee gentlemen to ascertain what
I•ireir (realities \V Ae wit It re: ect to the total. and
immediate repeal of the Corn-laws. The Tory Gentleman
eaters, sweet; Jet, thr riaci.tion his best com;literation. The
, 'Whig Gentleman said that he had not given tile subject so
much doliberatiou as should instuee him not to eitine to the
ceuelteeion that a fixed duty we's the best course, but that lie
4141ined giving a pledge upon the muestion. The course of
the deputation, Oleo, was to
.tell the electors, that having
petitions for rep oat , anti pressed' resolutions at public
zneet inns, stating the absolute necessity for repeal, they would
Ans. be consistent with their petition's or their resolutions, if
tier% erippoeted candidates who were adverse to total and iin-
medirrte repeal. There was a great outcry raised agaiost them
by the `Wig newspapers, because forsooth they had .driven a
rising gereVnati of the aristocracy from the field. Mr. Smith
find not been emiurned, because lie had been too late in the
field ; but he ( ,:"_fr. Prentice) knew that Mr.- Smith had re-
carded 200 votes Maid• than the Whig pro-Corn-law man. Let
them mark the result of tiehir conduct on that occasion. Such a
feeling had been created in the borough that at the following
election they advoceited total resieed. lie stated that cif cum-
:Aim ee to overcome the objection of those _persons who imagined
they (the opponents of the Corti-law) were. 'lours;great harm
if they
to the Liberal cause
hail a person iii some degree their friend apprised to r(crag(l"' was i" a greater degree their enemy. He (Mr._ Pred-'
aik
thee) should he that a test be put to the House of
Can mid to to he rnr
Majesty's AVnistr • by this Shibboleth of
total and immediate repeal , • f Ire did not. give his consent to pledge
himself to a similar rest. f they did not pass the resolution
now propose Id they shell' Id appear before the whole country as
14.5Therites. It was their duty as electors to pledge them-
e-elves never to return any bread•taxer according to
either the sliding seal, with Sir Robert Peel or a
limed duty with Lord John Russell. Let them' 'Make a ,
stand. They had great encouragement to make a stand.
'f hey had sects two successive Ade I°
nine •et. driven to the
ei,:isideratiOn of the Corn-laws. They 'll.lll stntsn a Whip' %(I-•
an Migration driven to a fixed duty of hs., de-
' after hiving '
eiaresel that it was madness to advocate a repeal of the torn-
lases. They had seen a Tory Administration brought to what
they termed a great modification of those obruntious !awe.
Seeing that, then, they ought to take up an advanced position,
and admit of rugcomprgmise at, all, Let them demand of
vote.
with
every person who sought their suffra,vs as electors, to pledge
himself to total repeel,sbefore lie received &single
=( Mr. Prentice) had, many opportunities of mixing the
people, and knowing their sentonents, and he was aware there
were o iniorgbreached privately and confidently—.not brought
form, ariet public meetings—which
(Mr. I !) radical Reformer as he was, some three or four years
ago. 'Ali nisters-e either the late or the. present ones—did riot
know what was passing in the minds of the people. They
thought that because the people were peaceable, because there
tones,
rt ,tin,;, no burning of ricks no burning of cotton fac,
ones, the 'People were therefore indifferent to the great (ies-