The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-16 00:00:00

THE GREAT FREE TRADE FES-
TIVAL IN NOTTINGHAM.
(Abridged from the Nottingham Mercury.)
A large public meeting was held on Tuesday last
at Nottingham, by the friends of free trade in the
Midland counties, in the Independent Chapel, Friar-
lane. Five hundred gentlemen connected with the
trade and manufactures of Nottingham, Derby, and
Leicester, besides a large number of operatives, mak-
ing an audience of 1,000 persons, were present.
On the motion of Mr. Alderman FREARSON, se-
conded by Mr. Alderman WILSON, John Heard, Esq.
was unanimously called to the Chair, who opened this
meeting.
Mr. WM. BIGGS, Mayor of Leicester, with some
preliminary remarks, proposed the first resolution :
" That the distress and embarrassment so generally
prevailing among the merchants and manufacturers
of the Midland counties at the period of their meeting
in December last, has since extended itself, and is now
seriously felt by the agriculturists, thus fully con-
firming the opinion there expressed, that, while the
Corn and Provision-laws are destructive to the manu-
facturing and mercantile interests of the country, and
are the occasion of untold privations to the whole of
the labouring portion of the community, they also
inflict the greatest injury upon the farmer, and will
be ultimately ruinous to the landowners themselves."
Mr. THOMAS WAKEFIELD seconded the resolution,
which
The CHAIRMAN then put, and not a single hand
was held up against it.
Mr. CRlrrs read the second resolution, " That this
meeting cordially approves of the continued and
strenuous efforts of the Anti-Corn-law League to en-
lighten the public mind as to the evils inflicted upon
all classes by the Corn and Provision-laws, and re-
joices in the fact that the principles of free trade have
recently made rapid progress among a powerful por-
tion of the community which has heretofore been most
active in opposing them, and that the first Minister
of the Crown has emphatically acknowledged the
truth of tl-is.e principles, by making, in his place in
Parliament, this memorable declaration :—‘ I believe
that in the general principles of free trade there is
now no great difference of opinion, and that all agree
in the general rule that we should purchase in the
cheapest market, and:sell in the dearest.'
Mr. J: BRIGHT, of Rochdale, was then introduced
to the meeting, and made some comments which were
warmly applauded.

Cbt

TEA PARTY.

The friends of free trade principles took tea together
n the Exchange, at five o'clock, when the splendid
suite of rooms were thrown open for their accommo-
dation, and such was the demand for tickets, that
double, or even treble, the number might have been sold.
The CHAIRMAN, having commenced' the evening
with a speech,
Mr. BRIGHT, in the course of some eloquent re-
marks, observed—The state of things was not here
the same as in a thinly populated country—we live in
a densely-populated land; but if twenty-eight millions
of people are "cabined, cribbed, confined," and told
that work however hard they may, and have as many
machines as they please, they must still be restricted
to the'produce of the soil upon which they live, it is
evident that suffering must be the consequence. If
the population were to get up to fifty millions, would
they say the same then Would they say that re-
strictions must still continue, to enable the landlords
to sustain "exclusive burdens," which are very much
like mortgages ?—(Hear and laughter.) Well, was
it to be done ? I asked Sir Thomas Dyke Acland—
the father of the SOmerset gentleman who had just
changed his note—" if the Corn-law could be mai-
tained for ever ?" He replied, "it could not—that as
the population increased, its continuance was impos-
sible." I said, " When would you have the law re-
pealed ?" Sir Thomas answered, " When the pressure
from without is strong enough." I said, " What is
the meaning of that ? Is not the pressure strong
enough when the distress is so great as to produce the
special notice of the Government ?" The fact is
(continued Mr. Bright), they perceive that they have
stretched the cord until it is nearly broken, and now,
I suppose they are about to give in.—(Applause.)
Mr. RICHARD COBDEN, M.P. for Stockport, after
recapitulating many points stated by him at former
meetings, continued—l may mention the commence-
ment of the League as an- encouragement to all who
are engaged in a good cause to persevere. At first
there were only two or three men meeting once
or twice a week behind a crimson curtain in Market-
street, Manchester, who used to call themselves the
League. Our opponents, unwisely for themselves,
attacked those three or four men. If they had known
the four obscure individuals—if they had drawn
aside that curtain and caricatured those men, they
would have done themselves better service. I men-
tion this merely to show that those engaged in a good
they
cause must t
League had hard werk to contend with the indifference
firstrnetrlivuitmh in
hp;they
did not mind so much the oppo-
the end.—(Applause.) The
sitirm of those who considered they went too far ; it was
from others who took no notice of them ; it was like firing
at a sand bank. True, their lecturers were pumped on,
the parish bells were rung to drown their voices,
and cannon were fired under their very noses; but
they wanted the newspaper press to begin to occupy
themselves with the subject, and at last it did. That
was a great step, and in time the. agitation began to
take. It had advanced by degrees, until the news-
paper press, out of deference to public opinion, was
and this was all that
,
tohbelyigeedxptoeotdeidscutsos thed p
do to
totoeiaer;ry
question—they
the,
no other weapons. It is 'now discussed in
the coffee-house, in' the steam-boat, in the market-
place; and this was the time when they thought it
only necessary to place their case in the hands of the
electors, and a packet of tracts was ready for every
town in the kingdom, so that the million electors
would, ere long, know the merits of the question as
well as we do. In England, every thing goes by
authority; it was a great thing to have the evidence
of James Deacon Flume in their favour, who, for
forty-nine years, filled important offices under sue -
cessive Governments ; they had selections from
euloium of Sir Robert
the
g
Commit-
tee,hi s evidenceNs,it
h a prefatorybefore Import Duties
Peel, on this same Mr. Hume. Then they had
selections from the Rev. Baptist Noel's pamphlet,
and sixteen goodly pages selected from Colonel
Thompson's works on this question. Then we have
the three prize Essays, and selections from eminent
writers. These pamphlets we intend to place in the
hands of every elector, and how do you think the
landowners and county Members will look when they
know that every elector has got a copy ? It will be
very much like the comical expression of a man who
is found out.—(Laughter.) No more protection to
agriculture. Now, it will cost to distribute these
tracts between 30,0001. and 40,0001. Should they
not, as men of business, assist to carry this question
to a successful issue ? If you feel or understand it,
you will not want prompting by me. If we can put
the prize essays in the hands of the farmers, I do not
doubt but that, at another election, they will go for
free trade. But it does not require an election, we
have only to convince Hon. Members that their con-
stituents have changed their minds, andare in earnest,
and they will not wait for an election—they
will not wait for a dissolution of Parliament to repeal
the Corn-law, lest it should bring in the other
set ; and they would alMost rather abolish any
law than allow those unconstitutional Whigs to come
into office.—(Hear, and laughter.) My firm belief
is, Sir Robert Peel would rather repeal the Corn-law
than not. —(Hear.) He cannot do so, however, un-
less we aid him. It is true the Earl of Ripon and
Mr. W. Gladstone may be free traders ; but the prin-
ciple found no favour with such men as Lord Stanley,
Lord Wharncliffe, and Sir James Graham. We are
not party men—whether Lord John Russell or Sir
Robert Peel propose free trade, we support him ; and
I would ask, if there are any Conservative free-traders
in Nottingham, why they do not come out ? I do
not expect to convert the leaders, . but surely there is
some portion of the rank and file who are ready to
assist us in getting rid of these laws.
Colonel Tnosiesox delivered himself to the meeting
in his usual argumentative and forcible manner.
Mr. Cnirrs moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Cobden,
Mr. Bright, and Colonel Thompson, whO were justly
entitled to the cordial thanks of all friends of freedom
and free trade; for their exertions to abolish all mono
polies.

Mr. BEAN seconded the motion, which was carried
unanimously, with laud applause.
The CnAtumAN after receiving the thanks of the
meeting, stated that the amount of the contributions
in the morning and evening was 1,3301. 15s.—(This
,
announcement was received with loud and long-con-
tinued cheers.) The meeting then separated.

ANTI-CORN-LAW LEAGUE FUND.
It appears that there has already been collected in
the following places:
Manchester, in two days, upwards 0f..... I:4,000
Liverpool, up to 11.1onda3r last
Nottingham, upwards of . .. .
Leeds, upwards of
Huddersfield.........., ,
Halifax .. .. ........ ~ , 780
Bradford (tea party)
Holmforth (tea-party) lOO
Blackburn (tea-party) .. 600
Rochdale .......... „„ ....

£12,752

it is probable that the Manchester subscriptions
are already more than double of the sum collected in
the first two days.

, We regret to hear that Admiral Sir Davidge
Gould is prevented arriving in Brighton, so early as
was intended, in consequence of his having slightly
fractured one of his ribs by a fall, when in the act of
crossing the dining-room at liawkshead. IVe are
happy to add that the venerable Admiral is going on
extremely well.—Brighton Gavre. .

RIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 16, 1842.

LITERARY CURIOSITY.—MECHANICAL PRODIGY.
To-afoaioiv, Dec. 17, and every succeeding Saturday, price
One Penny, No. 11. of the
VAMILY HERALD ; or, Useful Information
-IL' and Amusement for the Million; intended to exhibit the
wonders of a new Invention in Printing, and improve the
minds of the reading masses. No. J. contains a description of
the machinery, and 'explains the superiority of this country
over all others in the rapidity of typographical execution. To
'prevent disappeintment, persons desirous of procuring copies
should order them of any respectable bookseller or dealer in
periodicals in their vicinity.
The trade supplied by the Publisher, 421, Strand; Messrs.
Capes and Co., 6, Paternoster-row; Allen, 19, Warwick-
lane; and G. Berger, Holywell-street, Strand.

THE WEATHER.--7Surr OFFICE, DEC. 16.
THERMOMETER, Lowest, 46 ; Highest, 57 : Noon, 55.
BAROMETER, 30.16.—W1ND, S.W.

Sun