THE ANTI-CORN-LAW LEAGUE REVIVED.
MEETING OF ITS COUNCIL.
(From the Manchester Guardian of yesterday.)

     As we stated in our last, in compliance with the resolution of a preliminary meeting of Free-traders, held yesterday week, in the old League-rooms, Newall’s Buildings, a circular was addressed by Mr. George Wilson, as chairman of that preliminary meeting, to all those who were members of the Anti-Corn-Law League, as well as to others who may be disposed to join them, to attend a meeting to be held yesterday, ‟with a view to such steps as may be necessary to defeat the mad and wicked attempt to re-impose a tax upon corn, and thus to limit the supply of food to the population of the United Kingdom.” The meeting was held in the large quadrant-shaped room, Newall’s Buildings, yesterday, at three o’clock; Mr. Cobden, Mr. Bright, Mr. Gibson, Mr. Kershaw, and other gentlemen, being announced as expected to be present. There was a very large attendance of members of the old Anti-Corn-Law League council, and of other Free-traders; and the meeting being held on Tuesday, there was a large muster of friends from the neighbouring towns and the country districts. The room was about seven-eighths filled.

...

     Mr. JOHN BRIGHT, M.P., was received with hearty cheers, the meeting rising. He said—I am afraid that there is one objection which will be brought to our proceedings to-day, and which, on the face of it, appears rather formidable. It will be said that to call the old Anti-Corn-Law League to life again, on an occasion of this sort, is like what has been described by the poet—

‟Ocean into tempest toss’d
To waft a feather, or to drown a fly.”

(Loud laughter.) But I think it may be made to appear conclusively, that there are very good grounds for the course we are taking, and that this course is that which will soonest bring us to the end which, for fifteen years, we have looked for—a complete, final and irrevocable settlement of the question, whether the people of this country shall or shall not have the liberty to purchase their food as cheaply as it can be obtained in the market of the whole world.  ...

Now I happen to be in a position to know nearly all the men, more or less, personally—all these, certainly, who are in the House of Commons—and I must say, that having watched their conduct in that house from 1843 to 1846, when they sat on the Ministerial side, and having watched their conduct with equal attention from 1846 to this present time, when they have been sitting on the Opposition side of the house—nothing has ever led me to suppose for one moment that they are not thoroughly in earnest—some of them in believing that the corn laws were good for the country; all of them in the resolute expression, that, had they had the power, the corn law never should have been repealed; and that, had they the power now to re-enact that law, thet law would immediately appear upon your statute book. (Hear, hear.) We are told to gibe them a fair trial; why, we have been trying them all our lives. We have tried both them and the corn law, and, so far as they are connected with that question, we say that a party more hostile to the true interests of this country, more revolutionary in its character—(hear, hear, hear)—never held the reins of office in this country, and, so long as they remain connected with that question, so long shall it be our bounden duty and our first duty to drive them from office where, I am sure, in accordance with the public opinion of this country, they have no right to be. (Applause.) ....

Now here is a list of some members of this Government. I will confine myself at present to the House of Commons. ... Then we have Sir William Jolliffe, who represents the borough of Petersfield, which really my geography was so much at fault about—for you can hardly find these little boroughs anywhere—that I do not know precisely whether it is in Hants or not. (‟Yes,”) It has 5,550 inhabitants, and 353 voters; but he is returned for this borough by himself. ...

This is what I wish to say, that this Government which comes forward on Protection principles, which, as soon as it can and dare, will attempt to re-enact the corn laws, is a Government of county representatives and of the representatives of boroughs where corruption or patronage is supreme. (Hear, hear.) ...