The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-06-22 00:00:00

that concerns morals, order, national strength, and national
tranquillity. Wealth is the only object of their speculations, nor
de they much consider the two or three millions of people who
may be reduced to utter beggary in the course of their oper-
ations. This they call diverting capital into another chan-
nel." (Cheers, followed by some one asking "Is that
Harry Brougham ?") No it is Lord Johu Russell—
(hear, hear, hear, and great cheering)—who said, only two
or three years ago, that " wealth was the only object of
their speculations ; that they cared not about the two or
three millions they might reduce to beggary ; and that they
called this directing capital into another 'channel." (Ve-
hement applause.) And such would be the results, assu-
ming that the manufacturers are right in stating that they
could manufacture cheaper and sell more. (Hear.) But
net only do they say that they -could manufacture cheaper
and 1;41 more, but that they could also procure foreign corn
in exchange for their manufactures—that, in abort, they
could get it at fair prices and in exchange. 1 apprehend
that they could do neither. (Hear, hear.) For what would
be the course of events ? If a man goes to:buy an article of
luxury, he may either take it or not. Then, indeed, the ne-
cessity of the seller may comply with the wishes of the buyer.
If a lady, for instance, wanted a diamond necklace, she ap-
plies to a jeweller, and says, " I should like to have it on
credit until such a time." The jeweller might say to her,
" You must pay down; but it' he was in distress, he would
have to part with the article on her own terms. (Hear, hear.)
But, suppose our corn lands were thrown out of cultivation,
that our people were starving, and that a ship went to some
Baltic port, or Odessa, perchance, and carried out a quantity
of goods to exchange for corn. We shall take Odessa, where
the people wear sheepskins, and feed upon black bread.
(Hear, hear.) The captain says to them, "We have come
for a cargo of wheat, and we have brought a magnificent lot
of Manchester manufactured goods, such as cloths and cot-
tons, to exchange for it," " Oh, but," say the people of
Odessa, "we don't wear such things here." " Oh, but,"
rejoins the captain, "my countrymen are starving." "We
don't want you your manufactures" they tell him again. ale
then asks "What would you let me have the corn for ?,:
" Why, at such a price," they reply, " and pay in specie.
Whe do you think would win? Would the corn grower or
the famishing man who had to pay cash down? (Cries of
" the corn grower.") To be sure the corn grower: so that
you would neither get the corn cheap nor would you obtain
it is exchange for Manchester manufactures, but you should
pay a foreigner instead of a fellow-countryman. (Most rap-
turous applause.) Let us illustrate this by an occurrence
that I dare say is familiar in Liverpool. A tradesman has a
bill falling due which he cannot well meet, and he goes to a
monied man--I won't call him an usurer—and he says,

" Can't you let me have £l,OOO to meet that bill ?" " Oh,
yes," is the answer. " Well, what must I let you have for
the loan of it ?" " Money is scares in general-15 or 20 per
cent., however would be reasonable." " Oh, good God,"
the roan says, " that would ruin me." "Yes, but won't the
bill ruin you if it is not taken up," is the ready answer.
" That it would," he then bethinks himself; and accordingly
he agrees to give the 15 or 20 per cent. And that would be
just the case with the starving people of England, if they
were obliged to draw their supplies of food from foreign coun-
tries. I believe that the bondage of the Israelites in Egypt arose
out of the famine which prevailed, and which compelled them
to go to Egypt for food ; and from that day to the present I
believe no country ever remained long in a state of inde-
pendence which depended upon foreigners for a supply of
food. (Hear, hear, and protracted cheers.) Let me pass for
a short time to another point ; and I ought to apologise to
you for troubling you at all on these questions, for my noble
colleague discussed the whole of them—(hoar, hear)—but
let me say a word on the subject of sugar; and here I hope
that those interested in the matter of the introduction of
Brazilian sugar will cheerfully submit for the present to the
position in which they are placed. (Hear.) No additional
tax is imposed on them ; and the way in which their matter
stands is, that the duty was not taken off. (Hear.) What, let
me ask, was the condition of our West India colonies some
centuries ago? Unhappily our government, so far back as the
reign of Queen Elizabeth, thought that the slave trade was ad-
vantageous to the country, and many acts of parliament were
passed to promote it. At length we became enlightened on this
point ; we felt it to be a reproach to the nation ; we felt that
the retaining of our fellow-beings in chains was a national
crime ; and therefore we thought fit that the nation should
pay for their freedom. It is a mistake to suppose that the
West Indian proprietors of slaves had twenty millions paid
to them to purchase the freedom of those for whom they were
responsible. No ; the nation was responsible, and therefore
they obtained nothing more than what justice demanded they
should receive. (Great cheering.) For, as they were obliged
to purchase the slaves, they paid for them; bat leaving them
to employ their emancipated men as free labourers, and
hoping that they will endeavour to promote their welfare,
as they are bound to do, and hold out to other nations
the example of colonies flourishing after the emancipation
of negroes converted into free men, would it not be most
impolitic, unwise, and injurious, if, after having made that
great experiment, you propounded to the whole world
that it was a failure, and that sugar could not be grown
successfully by the leaven of free men. (Hear, hear.)
That was the principle upon which we acted ; and it was for
fear that such a proclamation should be made, after such a
change having been effected, that the sugar duties were re-
tained in their present position. (Cheers.) But I trust that
ere long the emancipated negro will learn his true position,
and labour as a man that has enjoyed his freedom ; that the
prosperity of our colonies will be revived, and that the expe-
riment will be successful; and then will be the time to con-
sider—not under present excitement, created for a purpose—
(hear, hear)—of those various matters affecting so much our
colonial merchants. (Loud cheers.) The other topic—
although, as my noble friend said, it had slipped through a
hole in the budget—(hear and a laugh)--the other topic is
timber. In this great seaport, in this town, enjoying so
many ship-building yards and graving-docks, employing so
many carpenters, and sailmakers, and sailors, ill would it be-
come me to neglect saying a few words upou this interesting
subject. (Hear, hear.) On this question of timber, colo-
nists, shipowners, timber dealers, and sailors, are all, by the
phantom candidate, denounced as monopolists. (Hear.)
Strange monopoly ! when all men are at liberty to embark in
the trade if they like, and wherein people are to gain unjust
profits, whilst any man who chooses may slander them.
But, never mind that. Lord Palmerston has denounced
them as monopolists, and you to be called on to abolish them.
(Hear, and a laugh.) Now, what is the history of this North
American trade, so much envied and so much abused ? (Hear,
hear.) It was, I believe, in the year 1810, that our supplies
of timber, being drawn from the Baltic alone, the article rose
to an inordinate price. In order to relieve the public from
paying that price, those discriminating duties were imposed
which it is now sought to alter. The North American trade
was encouraged ; and the fact is, that immense capitals were
invested in Canada in saw-milli, for the purpose of carrying
on this trade—that some 500.000 settlers have since then re-
lieved oar shores of their presence, in order to find employ-
ment in a foreign land—that 1200 ships have been employed
in that trade, which have been repaired and victualled in Great
Britain ; and that 16,000 of our sailors have been kept in
constant employ for that time. (Loud cheers.) But this is
not all the " iniquity" of it. (Hear, and a laugh.) For our
manufactures, to the extent of eight millions annually, have
been disposed of, we taking timber in return. (Hear, hear.
What a hateful and detestable monopoly ! (Loud laughter.)
Down with it ! (Renewed cheers and laaghter.) Let us de-
stroy it! (Coatinued cheers and roars of laughter.) The
ships must be broken up !—our 500,000 fellow-countrymen
may be starved in the colonies !—our shipbuilders may be
ruined!—our artisans and ouriship-carpenters may be turned
adrift !—our 16,000 sailors may be left without employ ! But
what signifies that? (Vehement applause.) " Divest the
capital into another channel !" But how would that benefit
the timber consumer ? You are to have the timber dearer
according to the proposed plan, for its to pay an additional
tax of 108. from North America! You will have to pay a
good deal more for any coming from that quarter then.
(Hear.) But you will have Baltic cheaper, for ss. is to be
taken off that. But then, if the North American timber
cannot come in unless at 105. more than you pay at present,
I have a strong impression that the Baltic will rise in price,
and come in at about a shilling under the other, in which
case you would be the loser by about 7s. or Bs. (Hear, hear.)
That many, to be sure, bring in more timber paying more
duty, and so put something into the coffers of the empty ex-
chequer. (Great laughter and cheers.) But how that would
benefit the consumer, lamat a loss to understand. (Hear.)
However, remember thls ;—at present the British sailor has
the monopoly of manning Iritish ships. Will the phantom
destroy that monopoly also ? Or will lie allow British ships
to be maimed by foreign sailors ? (Hear, hear.) If so, who
will take advantage by the change? Certainly none of you.
(Cheers.) And remember that if by this blow our mercantile
marine is destroyed our military marine cannot long exist,
and then would come the destruction of monopoly indeed !
the monopoly which is the envy and admiration of the
world !—the monopoly which has kept war far from us when
it raged across the Atlantic, and in other countries!—the
monopoly of naval glory and of power in the sea! (Most
enthusiastic cheering for several minutes.) Long may a
gracious providence preserve to us this monopoly ; but for
what object is it to be destroyed? Why, to stop a hole in a
budget. (Great laughter and cheers.) For, they plainly tell
us that those are only financial measures which have in view
the improvement of the revenue and nothing more. (Hear.)
Will you then, to fill an empty chest, or to stop a hole in this
rotten budget—(roars of laughter and cheers)—destroy the
interests I attempted to describe ? (Cries of " Never.")
But as they have put the question on financial grounds let
us see how they are entitled to our trust and confidence.
You are aware that " reform" and " retrenchment" are their
watchwords when they come into power. Let me, therefore,
give you one or two of their performances, for things are
tested by comparison. (Hear, hear.) Between the years
1821 and 1830, taxes were taken off under the conservative
administrations to the amount of £15,883,000. (Cheers.)
But, perhaps Lord Palmerston will take some of the merit of
that reduction to himself. (Laughter.) Well, per contra.
The whips between 1831 and 1839 took off £6,373,000.; but
that doesn't all go to their credit, for they put on £3,249,000.
—therefore, the balance is £3,124,000., leaving a balance in
favour of the conservatives of £12,759,000. (Loud cheers.)
So touch for their promises .and performances ! So much
have they done to win your confidence! (Hear, hear, hear.)
Now, your present representatives, together with all the other
representatives have shown by their votes that they have not
their confidence • I hope you will show the same next week.
(Tremendous cheering, and cries of "we will.") But it
may be said that I am dealing unfairly by them, that they
may have something else to offer you, and accordingly you
have a dark and ambiguous note in the address of one of our
rivals about " extended suffrage," which means, I suppose,
that you will have universal suffrage given to you. Much
good may it do the present voters, say I, and much your
interest will be increased by having so many added to the
number of the constituency. (Hear, and laughter.) What
is this universal suffrage but an attempt to array the num-
bers against the intelligence of the people? (Cheers.) And
them you are to have the dastardly, the contemptible scheme
—the vote by ballot! Of all the un-English modes of votiu
I ever heard of that is the one. (Hear, hear, and cheers.
What ! shall Englishmen who have never been afraid to took
a foe in the face !—Englishmen who have always been ready
to shed their blood in defence of their county ! Englishmen
who would walk to the cannon's mouth in search of glory or
safety for their country ! Shall they cry for the " ballot ?
Shall they claim the privelege of halooing for one candidate
and voting for another? Shall they sneak to the discharge
of a duty under cover of a lie ? (Vehement cries of no, no,
and cheers.) God forbid ! But there is another topic in the
address, and that is—education for your children ! (Hear,
hear, hear.) Education ! Aye ! but your proper feelings
would say, will they give us religious education for them
" Yes," says this tempter. " we will give them religious ed-
ucation, but it shall be without reference to sect or creed.
What ! religion without a creed ! (Hear, hear, and cheers.)
And thus to be taught to worship Christ or
Yet, I state
Vishnu or Jos. (Roars of laughter and cheers.)
from the published address of a member of the government to
his constituents that they are to give " religious education
n
Mahomet,
without reference to sect or creed." And at whose bidd
e thge
does he do that ? (Hear, hear.) At whose bidding
government, who before now were:excited to atteamtwcebtrhesarnsk)
God not to perpetrate the spoliation of the church--(cheers)
—called
to
—ancdslaltedwhoonsetobigdidvientedduoctahtieoynartietthzttoreligious intsioLacwtiiotnh.;
out reference to sect or creed ? But I
shall shalln
read it to
describe the answer in my own language.and
ft
hi.rn.sober-
est
whoy ou inm etnh e
that
ever
languageadorns
do f oneths ofc
hthe r
church—of
rwritingsread von
a was
passageaecor recorded
from a
title I
yshhai 111not that ye will sacrifice
elermofonthepr's'acJhneddiciboyusth.'e'
" Judicious " Hooker :—" Tells us
to the Lord our God, ye fice to Ashtoreth ; that
we will listen to your tradi.
ye will read our scripitfureswiifil
and liking, Solomon
have a communion with good leave
tions ; that if ye may have a mass by permission, we shall
took it (as well he might) for an evident. proof that she did
net bear a motherly affection to
m,hereeslsnelnadt wth:vseh yielded to
have it int in divers Prts*
Jesus with his heart which leadsth one ear to his apostles