Star.
London, England, 1829-01-30 00:00:00

is in possessfon of a Government Terming the most extra-
ordinary anomaly this world ever produced; a body
consisting of soldiers, sailors, and 'civilians, of men,
women, and children, and of he knew not *bat, who
wereintrtssted with she political management of the
force of a great empire, the population of which con-
sisted of lour times that of the remaining pan of Hits-
dostsn.. Dot could it be believed that men who have
not been accustomed to manage the affairs of a great
empire; who have not the qualifications requisite for
duly and properly exercising the onerous and intricate
duties of government ; who, in short, possess no one
Statesman-like quality—could it be believed that these
men were competent to the proper care of the concerns
of the gre.it and numerous population which British
India contains?—(Cheers). It did seem to him the
greate.t anomaly in government which ever presided
itself to the consideration of the human mind. But,
whilst he said this, he was impressed with the opinion',
that the present Meeting had no occasion to enter-
tain what might be considered the political part of
the question. The Legislature is the field, the arena,
where it must be taken into consideration—(Cheers).
The object of the present meeting was commercial and
not political. It was one which interested not merely the
merchant, the shipowner, and the manufacturer, but the
Agriculturist also—(Cheers). Having described to the
Meeting what he conceived to be difficulties of the pre-
sent intercourse with India, their object was to obtain
their removal. There could not be any objection to
the East Iridia Company remaining incorporated tot
the purposes of trade. When the Company was
fit st formed it was absolutely necessary, for at that
period capital was limited, and individuals were its-
capable of carrying on the trade to India themseloss.
The Company, ,therefore, in consideration of = the
that they ran-roisks which were of less conse-
quence to a body than they would have been to an
iodivicfual—received certain exclusive privileges for
a. limited period. But, the necessity for them having
long since passed away, it was high time that those
exclusive privileges should be abolished. Capital was
now abundant; for did we not see in every direction the
enterprise of private individuals and private metchants
encompassing the globe?—(Cheers). Now the difficulty
1 was, not to find capital, but fields for enterprise, and
markets for the consumption of the products of our in-
dustry. IVhat reasons then had not British merchant.
to oppose the renewal of the East India Company's
exclusive privileges? If the Company can contend with
us in the fair field of trade, let them try the experiment
honourably, fair ly,and openly; but until they so meet
the outports, let them not talk of the difficulties by which
their trade is encompassed, and throw dust in the eyes of
the country, by representing their trade as unprofitable;
let them not do this, and the outports had no fear of the
result of the competition—(Loud cheers). If the count: y
generally set their shoulders earnestly to the work, and
insisted on the great object of obtaining access to the
interior of India, be did not despair for a moment of
success. British merchants and manufacturers were, no
doubt, at mos to find new vents for their products
by the opening of the interior of India to their ent.r.
prise ; but it was to be hoped that their intercourse with
the interior would improve the ciril.c.tion of the na-
tives, and that several of the cruel and sanguinary rites
of their superstition, the mere mention of which is re-
volting to the feelings of humanity, will, in process of
time, he wholly extinguished. These, of themselves, were
not commercial objects : but they were only a few of the
advantages which may reasonably be expected to flow
from an unrestricted intercourse with India. Having
said thus much with respect to India, he would say a
few words, nit, he was sorry to say.'with respect to our
present, but, he hoped, our future relations with China.
He rerrembeied when in London, ISIS, just before the
renewal ilthelast charter of the East India Company,
tl.e deputation had our interview with a very dis-
tingui,hed statesman. In the course of the conversa-
tion this statesman, speaking of the China trade, ob-
served, "he supposed that the I; gislature, at the time
when exclusive privileges were granted to the company
tr trade to India, forgot. or did not know, that China
lay to the eastward of Hindostan."—(A laugh). Mr.
Gladstone then proceeded to enumer ice and reply to
the reasons which the advocates of the East India Com-
pany assign for the trade t China bring restricted to
the Company. He showed how futile were all the pre-
tences %loch the C..nspiny hi Id up for the exclusion of
the great body of the British merchants, and maintained
that the establishment of a British Consul General at'
the port of Canton, representing the King and not an
•• Honourable Company," would answer much better
than the present factory. He next pointed out the great
advantages which would attend an unrestricted inter.
course with China, both direct and iridirect, and the en-
ploy ment which it would give to British capital, to Bd.
industry, and British ships. He also painted out the
benefits which the whole countrywould experience from
the opening of the trade to China, in being enabled to
drink their tea cheaper than they can possibly drink it
at present. The consumption of this grateful beverage
would also increase; and the Chancellor of the Exche-
querwnuld then be enabled to repeal some of the
taxes by which the people werelnow oppressed. Mr.
Gladstone cortcluded a long speech amidst the loud
cheers i f the Meeting.
Mr. ItArtis.ais seconded the resolution.
Mr. JAMES CROPPER moved the second resolution.
Mr. EWART moved the third resolution.
Mr. :Wive moved the fourth resolution.
Atter the other resolutions (they were.tekie_all) bad
severally passed,
. Mr GLADETONR called upon the Meeting to come
fotward to aid 'the cause which they had in vies; bl
subscriptioni, as that alone could enable them to carry
on the protracted warfare on which they had entered.
Mr. Cnorraa did not consider that there was any per-
son in tl.e kingdom, merchant, manufacturer, or la-
bourer, •ho would not be benefited by the opening of
a free commerce with India.

A vote of thanks was then moved to the Mayor by
Mr. William Myers, and seconded by Mr. Wm. Rath-
bone ; and his Worship returned thanks for the honour
done him, and stated that he could at all times be found
at his post, and ever ready to do all in his power to the
benefit of his fellow-townsmen.

The following is the substance of the resolutions—.
Triat the opening of a flee trade to China, and the
removal of the restrictions which impede the commerce
between this country and India,would be productive of
incalculable benefit : that, notwithstanding the great
increase in the demand ens. British manufactures, the
present circumstances of the tilde show clearly that a
detective system of commercial policy alone prevents the
further an.l rapid growth of the trade between this
country and India; that, while the exclusiie privileges
and arbitrary rule of the East India Company are in-
jurious, as regards the commerce with India, the abso-
lute prohibition enforced by the Charter against British
subjects trading with China is still more oppressive and
unjust ;'hat the article of tea affords a prominent instance
of the injurious effects of monopoly, the present price
in Los ion; free of duty, being mate than 100 per cent.
above the price in the neighbouring ports in Europc ;