, 1866-03-02
Inauguration Of u Golden Memorial In
Belgium.
lCprTespoodence OF the London Star.]
IYA..-

VERvIERs, Belgium, jan "a, 1855.
A bust OF the great English emancipator Of
By the Chamber of Commerce Of veryiers,
having been executed by Mr.. Marshall Wood,
the English sculptor, for the Belgian Society
OF Political Economy To explain why FeT-
yiers should be thus honored, and why the
sociste Beige d'Eeouomie Politique should
story Of Free Trade in Belgium, q story which
has happily reached asatisfact ory stage, II not
q couclus1yely triumphant denous1enl. ,TWen-
ty years ago, to begin at the beginning, II.
Charles Le Hardy de Beaulleu and q few con-
genial spirits commenced hostlllties against
opelntions1ot the Economists became thor
oughly organized In that year there com
neneea, under the animattng inspiration Of
". de 3iolinsri, the conductor Of the Eeono-
mite Delge,, and the able management OF n.
Corr Wander Maereo, who may perhaps be de-
nominated the George Wilson Of the Delgian
'tLeague,' genuine crusade carried on with
the s1eatest vigor, in spite Of the leTcest and
most varied opposition, pushed at come
places-Ghent, for fnstance,-to the borders
Of personal violence, and on system Of the
most complete organization. Public spirit ia
not generally exhibited in this form, On the
Continent, and 1t was at first equally difficult
for the pJ on1oters of tho free trade movement
to procure adequate pecuniary support for
their operations, or the services OF voluntary
apostles Of free trade ready to proulul4ate
their principles personally over the length and
breadth Of The country, without fear Of con-
sequences When l say they found both ut
VervieTs, the true local Significance of, to-
planned.
The free trade champions at Brussels. who
have so recently obtained the recognition of
their doctrines by Government, that tho COM
bative enthusiasm Of their struggle still
warmly anInates them, can hardly mention
the people Of Veryiers without emotion. You
hear them sEeak Of ''Those good VeEv1etois''
They all agree that il nythIng new is to be
done It must be by the did of the Veryietols,
and The achievements Of the past are credited
to them with equal cordially. When men
and money were most wanted for the free
trade campaign in Belgium they contributed
they, never relaxed either IN their lib
crafty or their personal Devotion Meet
ing.,'' at that time unknown IN Belgium,
were held in every town OF importance.
Every here the hurgomasters~ objected, often
notifying to persons about 10 let places OF
circumstances the commune could not be an-
swcrablc for any damage done By public dis
turbance. But the Vervietois and their Brus-
sc1s leaders Ind not studied In vain the con-
stltution oI thelr country. They had not
failed to perceive the full force and value Of
kuAt AVtAL5 VI taSVEAakQu u H4Eu II secured 10
all Belgians by charter, and which patriotic
art has elnblematized in one of the four ex-
pressivc statucs In the halt OF the Houses Of
Parliament They insisted on their right to
meet. The burgomastcrs were obliged to give
in, convinced by irrefragable arguments and
by the nnfalterlng determination Of the Free
Traders, that the responsibility Tor riot lay
with the authorities and not with citizens iul-
filling within the limits OF theft rights as citi-
zens their duties Is patriots.
Having rendered great service to the Bel
gian people BY the simple fact setting the
fashion Of 'tmeetinss''-the English word be-
ing used-the Frce-traders pursued with un-
taltcring zeal the principal object Of their
association The money Of the Tervieto{s
was never wantiug-they developed some
capital speakers, and campaign after cam-
paisn was fought In manner and spirit
worthy of the cause. At last the Legislature
aud the Ministry were wrought upon.
Protectionism rs such disappeared,
and when nj. length all ;subter-
fuges were proved to be mere excuses
for protection the frat great victory OF Bel
gian free trade was accomplished-nll simply
protective dnties were slotted out of fht,
tariff It was in view Of this great victory
that the Societe d'Ecouomie Politfuue ro.
solved to commemorate the services rendered
TO the principle Of librs tehange bY the mer-
chants any manufacturers Of FervIers. They
could conceive nothing more suitable than
the presentation to the Verviere Chamber Of
Commerce Of 4 bust Of the g eat and gond
man whom all ffee-traders are proud to fol-