Mr Towle (a tenant farmer) moved the following amendment, "That in the
opinion of this meeting the principles of free trade are in accordance
with the laws of nature and conducive to the welfare of mankind, and
that all laws which interfere with the free intercourse of nations,
under the pretence of protection to the agricultural, colonial, or
manufacturing interests, ought to be forthwith abolished."
The motion having been seconded, was put, and declared to be carried,
with only three dissentients.
Mr Henley then proposed, and Mr Cobden seconded, a vote of thanks to the
chairman, who briefly acknowledged the compliment, and three cheers
having been given for free trade the meeting separated, having lasted
nearly five hours.
* * * * *
PUBLIC DINNER TO R. WALKER, ESQ., M.P., BURY.--On Wednesday week a
public dinner was given, in the Free-Trade Pavilion, Paradise street,
Bury, by the electors of Bury, to the above-named gentleman, for his
constant advocacy of Liberal principles in the House of Commons. The
meeting, though called to do honour to the worthy representative of
Bury, was emphatically a gathering of the friends of free trade, Mr
Bright, Dr Bowring, Mr Brotherton, &c., being present.
DR BOWRING'S VISIT TO HIS CONSTITUENTS.--Dr Bowring arrived in Bolton,
on his annual visit, on Thursday week. In the course of the afternoon he
called upon several of the leading reformers and free-traders of the
borough; and in the evening, according to public announcement, he
attended at the Temperance hall, Little Bolton, to address the
inhabitants generally. The doors of the hall were opened at seven
o'clock, and hundreds immediately flocked in. At half-past seven, the
hall was crowded to excess in every part. On Dr Bowring's entrance, he
was greeted with loud cheers. The chief portion of the proceedings
consisted in the speech of the learned and honourable member, who, as
might be expected, dwelt with great power on the question of
questions--free trade. We have only room for the following eloquent
passage: "The more I see of England, the prouder I am to recognise her
superiority--not alone in arms--about that I care little, but in
manufacturing arts, the peaceful arts, which really reflect glory on her
people. (Cheers.) Give us fair play and no favour, and we need not fear
the strength of the whole world. (Hear.) Let us start in an honest
rivalry--let us get rid of the drawbacks and impediments which are in
the way of our progress, and sure I am that the virtues, the energies,
the industry, the adventurous spirit of the manufacturers and merchants
of England, which have planted their language in every climate and in
every region, would make them known as benefactors through the wide
world. They are recognised by the black man as giving him many sources
of enjoyment which he had not before; by the red man as having reached
his fields and forests, and brought to him in his daily life enjoyments
of which his ancestors had no notion; by all tribes and tongues
throughout the wide expanse of the earth, as the allies of improvement,
and the promoters of happiness. Sure I am that England--emancipated
England--the labourers--the artisans of England, may do more for the
honour and reputation of our country than was ever done by all the
Nelsons and Wellingtons of the day. (Loud cheers.) I was struck very
much, the other day, by the remark of one of the wisest and best men of
our times, from the other side of the Atlantic, who said, 'I am not
dazzled by the great names which I see recorded in high places; I am not
attracted by the statues which are raised to the men whom you call
illustrious, but what _does_ strike me, what _does_ delight me, what
_does_ fascinate me, is to trace the working man of England to his home;
to see him there labouring at his loom unnoticed and unknown, toiling
before the sun rises, nor ceasing to toil when the sun has descended
beneath the mountain. It is _that_ man, the missionary of peace, who
forms the true link of alliance between nation and nation, making all
men of one kindred and of one blood,--that man upon whose brow the sweat
is falling,--that man whose hands are hardened by labour,--that is the
man of whom England has a right to be proud--(hear)--that is the man
whom the world ought to recognise as its benefactor.' (Cheers.) And,
gentlemen, in such sentiments I cordially agree, and the time will come
when the names of men who are called illustrious, at whose feet we have
been rolling out torrents of wealth, whom we have been crowning with
dazzling honours--those men will pass away into the realms of
forgetfulness, while the poor and industrious labourer, who has been
through the world a herald and apostle of good, will be respected and
honoured, and upon him future times will look as the real patriot, the
real philanthropist, the real honour of his country and of his
countrymen." The proceedings were closed by the unanimous thanks of the
meeting being given to Dr Bowring.
FREE TRADE.--We are glad to learn, from a correspondence in the
_Liverpool Albion_, that W. Brown, Esq., the head of the eminent house
of Brown, Shipley, and Co., of Liverpool, has declared his adherence to
the cause of perfect freedom of trade, contributing, at the same time,
50_l._ to the funds of the Liverpool Anti-Monopoly Association.
CORN TRADE OF FRANCE.--The _Moniteur_ publishes the return of the corn
trade in France during the month of July, from which it appears that the
imports were--wheat, 45,896 metrical quintels; other grain, 23,389; and
flour, 613. The exports--wheat, 14,318; other grain, 11,506; and flour,
2,435. The quantities lying in the government bonding stores on the
first of August were--wheat, 28,405 metrical quintals; other grain,
9,378; and flour, 11,051.
ANTI-CORN-LAW MEETING AT HAMPSTEAD.--The opponents of the corn laws
resident at Hampstead assembled on Tuesday night, in crowded meeting, at
the Temperance hall of that locality, to hear Mr Sidney Smith deliver an
address on the evils of the corn laws. The meeting was the first of the
kind since the formation of the new association, and there were several
of the respectable inhabitants of the neighbourhood present. Mr Smith
entered at length into the whole question of the monopolies from which
the people of this country suffer. He showed, conclusively, and by a
reference to facts and comparisons with other countries, that
"protective" duties were injurious to the best interests of the
community, as they were productive of abridgment of the people's
comfort, and of taxation on everything that they could see or touch. He
illustrated the advantages that would arise from free trade, by a
reference to the great increase of consumption of the article of coffee
since the reduction of the duty of half a crown on the pound weight to
ninepence; the consumption at that period (1824) having been but eight
millions of pounds weight, while at present, it was twenty-eight
millions. The learned gentleman, who spoke for upwards of two hours,
concluded amid loud cheers. Three cheers which were proposed for the
Charter proved a decided failure; while, on the other hand, three were
proposed for a repeal of the corn laws, which were responded to by
nearly the whole of the crowded meeting.
MR EWART AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.--William Ewart, Esq., the indefatigable
member for the Dumfries District of Burghs, is at present paying his
respects to his constituents, after the recess of what has been to him a
laborious session of parliament, however little may have been effected
during its course by the government and the legislature. On Thursday
evening he addressed a large meeting in this town. On Friday he visited
Lochmaben, and on Saturday Sanquhar, and addressed the inhabitants of
both these burghs.--_Dumfries Courier_.