The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-07-14 00:00:00

TESTIMONIAL TO MR. COBDEN

A public meeting was held in the Cotton Sales-room of
the Exchange, on Thursday, for the purpose of promoting
subscriptions to the testimonial to be presented to Mr.
Cobden. The attendance included representatives from
many of the first firms of the town.
W. BROWN, Esq., the candidate for South Lancashire,
was called to the chair. Having stated the objects of the
meeting, and eulogised the character of Mr. Cobden, he
said it might appear that Mr. Bright, Mr. Villiers, and
Mr. Wilson, should have been included in the testimo-
nial ; but the committee at Manchester had deemed it ad-
visable (although the others were highly deserving) to
make it more worthy of his acceptance, by confining it to
Mr. Cobden alone. Mr. Cobden had devoted a large por-
tion of the most valuable portion of his life to accomplish
that great and mighty measure, from which they might
expect unbounded benefit to flow. Had he shewn less
zeal or devotion in the cause, in all probability the coun-
try would not now have been in the position of setting a
glorious example to the world of freedom ontrade (ap-
plause). He ought to state the fact that the public, all of
whom were more or less indebted, were not called upon
"r. Cobden by
of all par-

)wards the testimc
my particular party or sect, but

to contr

• •
that
ties; and it was gratifying to see at Manchester the
first subscriptions placed upon the list were £5OO from
each of two houses which had not contributed to the free-
trade movement ; and he trusted that there would be
handsome subscriptions in Liverpool, even from parties
who could not conscientiously connect themselves with
the League. Mr. Cobden had made pecuniary sacrifices
to the amount of £50,000, and he should not be a sufferer
for having conferred a public benefit. (Applause.)
THOS. TRORNELY, Esq. M.P., said it afforded him the
highest satisfaction to meet so many of the friends of free
trade in Liverpool, on the occasion of the termination of
their labours for the repeal of the Corn-laws. After stat-
ing that Mr. Cobden deserved the gratitude of the nation,
he highly commended the long and persevering exertions
of Mr. Villiers, his distinguished colleague, who from.
1825 had appropriated to himself the question of the Corn-
laws, and brought forward in the House of Commons sit
annual motion for their repeal or consideration, and
pushed it forward under, in many instances, the greatest
discouragements and apathy. He highly eulogised Mr.
Cobden, who, he said, was candid and courteous—a man,
indeed, of the most benevolent and generous disrosition
as noted for his liberality in private life as in public; and
most sincerely did he (Mr. T.) rejoice at the objects of
the present meeting. lie moved—" That this meeting,
fully concurring in the opinion that :he distinguished ser-
vices of Richard Cobden, Esq., M.P., in connection with
the cause of free-trade, entitle him to a nation's gratitude,
hereby pledges itself to the earnest support of that na-
tional testimonial which has been already commenced, as
a fitting tribute to the untiring self-sacrifice, and the un-
rivalled wisdom with which that great man has conducted
the struggle for commercial independence.
J. C. EWART, Esq., seconded the motion. He trusted
the testimonial would be made worthy alike of those
who gave and of the distinguished individual who re-
cc ived it.

The resolution was carried unanimously.
Mr. J. MAXWELL moved the appointment of a com-
mittee for receiving subscriptions, &c., which was se-
conded by Mr. J. MATHER, and agreed to.
Subscriptions amounting to £2,200 were then entered
into in the room ; £3,050 had been already subscribed at
Manchester by Liverpool gentlemen, and there is no doubt
that the bum will yet be considerably increased.