The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-10-12

ED. MAD.
LONDON, Sept S, 1S43.
To GENERAL DUR GREEN,
DEAR SIR: In our conversation respecting free
trade movements, and free trade opinions you seem
ed to be imperfecy informed Of the rise and progress
Of the present free trade movement
You seemed to think that the move had origina ted
with the Wing Government, and that they had bold
ly faced the opposition of the Tories and had fallen
victims to their efforts to promote free trade. But
that is not the truth, although, admit the Wings
and their retaners have done all in their power to
claim the merit of being free traders and also, to
claim the sympathy of all free traders alleging that
they fell the field Of action, and that the cry at
the general election in 1871 did not protect them
from the triumph of the Tories, alias the Monopo-
lists.
From the year 1880, when the Wings came into
Office, to the end of the year lS40 they had over
whelming majority in the House of Commons, and
might have carried free trade, well Parlia-
menary REFORM if they had been really and honestly
what they now claim TO be-free traders. They began
Parliamentary reform and carried it out to the ex-
tent they did, solely because the People demanded
they did carry out reform
After the passing of the Reform Bill, the elections
gave the Wing Ministers an overwhelming majority
in the House Of Commons the Arisocracy the Clergy
and the Corruptonists were all alarmed and unable
to stand against the popular will and the popular
representatives., and we looked forward with confidence
to the gradual removal Of all existing monopoies,
and the abolition Of class legislation and, with that
the termination of the injustice which had been so
long inflicted upon the industrious classes of the
country By unequal and unjust ia,os, and by grinding
and excessive taxation the food of the peope-we
expected all these results as the fruits Of our exer.
tons to obtain reform. But Earl Grey, and those,
who had come forward as the leaders in the reform
movement, became alarmed at the progress of their
own measures-they iaultered and, finally, allowed
all kinds OF difficulties to be formed to the further
progress of reform, and encouraged the Tories
to recover from their fallen state. The Wing lead
crs became traitors to the which they brought
forward, and for which the nation supported them -
During these ten years Of Wing rule, from 1891 to
1910, various motions were made for free trade and
particularly for the repeal of the odious and starva
ton Corn Laws, and these motions were always re-
JUN lNuSsCll MS WING COllCagueS
In reality the Wings declared in Parliament against
any further Parliamentary reform, as well as against
the repeal of the Corn Laws and seemed satisfied to
remain in power, if the Tories would let them con-
linue without doing any thing which the people want
ed.
On all motions for the extension of popular rights,
the leaders of the Wings aud of the Tories-Lord
John Russell and Sir Robert Peel--were always
found voting together against the Reformers and
that state of party and of feeling continued until the
Reformers in the country became quite Indifferent as
TO what Representatives they should send to Parlia
ment, or what Ministers should be in power, seeing
that there was really very little difference between
the two parties. The people got Disguised with the
Wings, and their majority in the House of Commons
gradually decreased. The Reformers loudly com.
planned of the conduct Of their leaders; denounced
them at times in the House of Commons, and became
Indifferent TO the proceedings of the Ministers. Du-
ring the latter period, when, by the complete conf