( no a ny a s H HA T O m mw na dfioo G H A H D I H R H RD D E H E T 2 6 ! E R LD I C A COB N W N ABOU A S O . FRO M A PAINTI NG IN TH E POSSESSION OF TH E

FAM ILY . CO B D E N A S A C ITI ZE N A C H APT E R I N MA NC H E S T E R H I S T O R!

A FACS I M I LE O F C O B D E N ’ S PAM PH LE T “ I N CO RPO RA TE ! O U R B O RO U G H ” WI T H A N I N T R O D U C T I O N R E C O R D I N G H I S CARE E R A S A M U N I C I PA L R E FO RM E R A N D A CO B D E N B I B LI O G RAPH ! ! L ! N B WI LI AM E . A . A O

I LLUS TRATE D

O W L NDO N : T . FI S H E R U N I N

ADE LPH I T E RRAC E . M C MVI I rights reserved) i ht To the R g Honourable the Lord Mayor, and the Corporation of the City of Manchester, is dedicated this record Of the services of Richard

Cobden , to whose zeal and energy Manchester - owes the possibility of local self government .

PRE FAC E H I S book originated in the discovery I by Mrs . Jane Cobden Unwin among some family papers of a copy Of her ’ - father s long lost pamphlet , Incorporate ! ” t Your Borough This trac , of which 1 8 8 copies were printed in 3 , was the beginning of the successful agitation for the incorporation of Manchester . I t has long been vainly sought for by collectors ; two industrious harvesters of local lore , father and son , have been unsuccess fully looking out for it since 1 85 2 ! When it was deemed desirable to reprint this rare , if not unique , pamphlet , it seemed also de sirable to put on record some details of Cob ’ den s efforts as a citizen before he became a h t sorbed in the work of parliament . H is ac ivities ’ are , of course , indicated in Mr . John Morley s admirable biography , but many of the details here given would have been out of place there . Yet it is thought that they will not be without interest at a time when the possibilities of use ful municipal work are continually increasing , and the dignity and importance of local self government are more generally recognized than in the day when Cobden was a member of the

Corporation of Manchester .

CO NTE NTS PA GE Preface Introduct ion Chapter I Manchester under the Eeu da l hda nor o u I I . Defeat of M derate M ni

cipa l Reformers . Re I I I . Cobden as Municipal former u ! IV . Incorporate your Boro gh A Letter to the I nhabitants of Manchester ’ the V . A Town s Meeting in Early Vict orian Period

VI . The Struggle for a Municipal Charter C t VI I . The Charter ontes ed

VI I I . Alderman Cobden I ! . Cobden ceases to be a Citizen

of Manchester O o Incorporate your Borough ! a fa cs imile of Cobden ’ s Pamphlet h Appendix . Cobden Bibliograp y . I ndex

LIST O F I LLU STRATI O NS Richard Cobden when about twenty- six years old . From a painting in the posses ‘ ' sion of the Family Fromisp z ece ’ Cobde ns ua S tree t Residence in Q y , Man chester, now the County Court . From a B rime low drawing by G . M . , in the pos

f . o . session Messrs Taylor , Garnett Co

The Town Hall , Manchester, now the Free Reference Library Facsimile of Circular respect ing the Town ’ s Meeting on I ncorporation Kt Sir Joseph Heron , , First Town Clerk f ir a O . c c Manchester From a photograph , 1 877

The First Mayor of Manchester, Thomas 1 1 8 0 Potter, born 774 ; knighted 4 ; died 8 1 45 . From a bust in the Manchester

Town Hall , by Matthew Noble Gavel presented by Cobden to the first

Mayor of Manchester . Now preserved in

the Town Hall , Manchester Copy of Resolution presented to Cobden

by the Manchester Town Council , July, 1 8 6 4 . Now i n the possession of the Family xi Copy of Resolution presented to Cobden e n by the Manchest r City Cou cil , March , O f 1 86 1 . Now in the possession the Family We ste rfi eld C re sce nt Viétoria , Park , Park , ’ bd s Co en last Manchester Residence . From a drawing by William Canning

xii

H E local government of Manchester the closing years of the reign of Willie IV was hopelessly antiquated and t e ffeétive . The Lord of the Manor , by vs agency of his steward , summoned at his

' e eleét ec a Court Leet , and the j urors th re B orou h reeve Le ers : g , Constables , M ise y , M t ket Lookers , Ale Tasters , Muzzlers of mas f dogs , a Pounder, and other honorary o fice The jury also appointed salaried deputy cc ov stables and beadles . The jury had the p infi iCt 1: to fines in repression of nuisances , their main fu nétionwas that of appointing t municipal officers . The borough reeve had to be a person re dent in the township of Manchester , and dwelling- housesbecame transformed into w a I houses there was an increasing di fficulty in 4 f vs taining a suitable person . This di ficulty increased by the unwritten law that the ough reeve must not be a shopkeeper ! T was a similar edict against N onconfo h w ether rich or poor, though to this there I n some exceptions . addition to the Court O fficials the churchwardens and sidesmen certain civic as well as ecclesiastical dutie perform , both in relation to rating and to relief of the poor . The rapid growth of M 2 chester had necessitated the obtaining of vari “ t a d ous improvement ac s , and these were ministered by a body of police commission ers ” elected by a suffrage which was always t restric ed , although varied from time to time . - O f The out townships Hulme and Chorlton , which formed part ofthe parliamentaryborough of Manchester , had their own constables . The surveyors of highways for the parish and township of Manchester were appointed at ves try meetings held in the Collegiate Church . The accounts were submitted to a vestry and parish re meeting , which , having passed the accounts solved itself into a meeting of leypa yers of exa ét li it the township . What were the m s of the func‘tions of these varying authorities it would be di fficult to say . The adjoining borough of Salford was gov erned by a Court Leet as a Manor of the Duchy of Lancaster , and by commissioners appointed under local acts . The constables of the out-townships were appointed at the Court Leet of the H undred of 1 th 1 8 Salford . At the court held 9 April , 37,

M r . John Harland complained of the nuisance t caused by the chimney of a manufac ory . He showed that there had been a presentment in 1 8 2 3 , that amendment had been promised , and 3 that the nuisance continued . The barrister who presided said that it was scarcely necessary to refer to the Oldpresentment and the jury thereupon decided that there was not sufficient 1 evidence of the existence of the nuisance . 1 8 When , in 35 , the Municipal Corporations A Ct was before Parliament , a petition in favour Of the bill and against the delay which was intended by the device of receiving further evidence from the old corporations whose cor ruption had been fully shown by the inquiries of the Commission , was signed in a day by inhabitants and was taken to London by a deputation consisting of Thomas Potter and “ l - George H a dfi e d. They went in a post chaise ” - th and four at half past nine on Thursday , 7

August , and reached London on the following afternoon . The petition was presented by Lord 1 0th toa c u riou s Melbourne on August , and led little debate . After Lord Brougham had sup of ported the petition , the Duke Newcastle said that he had received a letter from “ a very good Conservative who said that the petition had been got up in the way in which such petitions — very frequently were by O btaining the signa tures ofpersons who were perfectly incompetent to affix their signatures to it . It was by

1 “ a nch e st e r me s 2 2nd r 1 8 M Ti , Ap il , 37. pla c ingta ble s at the corners of the public streets and getting all such persons as could j ust scribble their names to put them down : as the boys came out at their dinner—hour they were called to sign thei r names : not one of them ” knowing what they were signing . I hope ,

added the writer , youwill explain to the House - this trick , carrying on by the Whig Radicals the representative party of our blessed House

of Commons . If the qualification were higher , we would not have such members as w e now

have . You may rely upon it that the property and prosperity of this borough are Conserva ” tive s . The reply of the Liberals was that in the urgency of the case there was no time to t call a public meeting , and , as a matter of fac , the signatures were all obtained within twelve 1 hours . On the passage of the A 61: there was no im mediate movement for its adoption in Man

’ e a t e s l oth u ust 1 8 T a nsa r s . h e u e H d D b A g , 35 D k of - e w c a st e w a s th e b orou h mon e r a mous for his o os N l g g , f pp i t ont o th e c a ms of th e dss e nt e rs t o a tho c e ma nc a i l i i , C li ip t ion h e re w a s a ndto p a rli a me nta ry re form. T a q ue st iona s t o some of his te na nts w h o h a d e e n e e te da t e w ca st e b j c N l , a ndh e a s e in re I s it not a w u for me to do k d ply , l f l w ha t e a se w th m ne ow n? H is ma ns on ott n ha m a st e I pl i i i , N i g C l , w a s b urnt inth e r ots of 1 8 1 a ndh e h a dto ort u m e r i 3 f ify Cl b . étiona r of a t ona o ra h S ee D i 8 . y N i l Bi g p y , xi , 9 t w a s e ches er , although it acknowledg d by all that some change was necessary . There was , o h wever, no agreement as to what the change should be . Some thought that a modification t f of the police ac s would su fice , and against any great change there was the influence of the vested interests of the Lord of the Manor , b ut certa inl and the interests , not vested ypower ful , of those who feared that the loss of their lucrative positions might be the result of a more democratic constitution . The extreme Torieslooked with disfavour on populargovern ment , and the extreme Radicals , disappointed w in the results of the first Reform Bill , ere unreasonably suspicious of all Whig measures . O F “ C HAPTE R I I . DE FEAT M O DE R O M U N IC I PAL REF RM E RS . 1 8 6 N 3 Mr . Robert Barbour w a s elected b oroughre eve but refused to accept the O a n 1 I n ffice dwas fined 00 . the latter part of the year a committee was formed to in

quire into the local government of the district . After several meetings they issued an address

which was signed by Mr . William Neild as

‘ their Chairman . In this the inconvenience and inefficiency of the mode then in pra étice “ O f O were pointed out . Instances riot have ften

occurred , and considerable damage sustained , r when the aid of the milita y has been called in , but which might easily have been suppressed i n its origin by the civil power had there been a sufficiently numerous and properly organized ” a police force . The Manorial Court could p f point municipal o ficers , but had no power to raise a single shilling to enable them to dis of charge the duties their office . The funds had to be supplied by the churchwardens from the a poor rate . Thus the party who make the p

pointment can grant no funds , the party who supplies the funds has no power over the a p ” f pointment . The duties of the several o ficers “ - d n f were ill e fi ed. These o ficers are placed at the head of the commissioners of police , partly by custom and partly by recent Act s O f Parlia ment , and yet the commissioners have no more

1 8 37. The streets were placarded with bills inviting the opponents to attend and defeat “ proposals for the int roduétionof the rural

police , the new poor law, bastile workhouses ,

separation of man and wife , of children from

their parents , the prison dress , starvation diet ’ i nofth d db and the disseCc o e ea odie s ofthe poor.

All of these dire consequences were to flow. from placing the day and night police under O the same control . One chartist pposed the proposal because it might lead to the intro duction of the (then) new Poor Law ; another argued that crime increased in proportion to

the means taken to repress it , and that it was safest to be without police because then every

one had to be his own watchman . M r . Archi a of b ld Prentice , who was as radical as any the

chartists , proposed that in any police bill the voting qualification should be extended to all

rated householders . Against this declaration of their own principles the Radicals voted with N il ’ . e ds great enthusiasm , and M r moderate proposals were defeated by men who at the same time declared their dis sa tis fa étionwith the existing arrangements as being most u n just towards the larger part of the inhabitants of th e town . S u ch w a s 1 th the position ofaffairs when , on 9 1 0 t 1 8 Cobdena s Oc ober, 37, Richard , an inhabit ” ant and resiant , was summoned to attend as one of the jurors of the Court Leet of the Manor

of Manchester . The court was held in a dingy

room in Brown Street , and decided to appoint b rou h re o eve . Mr . William Neild g He was a a nd wealthy and philanthropic Quaker , his elec tion showed that the supply of suitable Church men was pra cft ica llyexhausted . What followed is thus told by the journalist of the day : N e ildthe n s a idt h M r . came forward and a t two t f yearsago , when elec ed to the o fice of constable , he abided by the decision of that court con tra r y to his inclinations , and at considerable inconvenience to himself. He thought , there fore , that after the lapse of so short a period , it was rather too much that he should be again called upon . He had no wish to shrink from public duties , he knew that they must be per formed , and he for one had hitherto borne his share cheerfully, and discharged his duties to the best of his abilities . H is health was such at present that he should be unable to discharge the duties of the office to which he was a p pointed ; and taking that into consideration , along with the fact of his having s o recently f served i n one public o fice , and discharged other public duties for nearly twenty years , 1 1 he trusted that the j u ry would excuse hi this occasion from serving the office . H ta inly had felt surprised when informer C s their choice , under these ircumstance r fallen upon him . H e was told as a reaso the number of persons eligible to fill the so liI residing in the town , had become owing to so many having withdrawn in to avoid the possibility of being elected to

f . i o fices by this court Now, he woul whether such was a proper state of thi r ? exist in a town like this (Hear, hear . did not mean to complain of the privileg 5 this court . I t was not their fault that system 'of electing public officers to disc the highest and most important trusts large town was in existence ; an sequence of it , while in other to stead of shrinking from the duty Manchester no one could be I n exercising their present power was only exercising a prerogative 0 resided in it for centuries , and its gentlemen well worthy of the duties had to discharge ; but he thought them to consider whether the state 0 which under its existence had been s f about , ought to be u fered to continue 1 2 ' righ t of the respectable j u ryw ho had now called upon him he would not question—under other circumsta nces he w ouldha ve bee nca lleduponby them without a complaint ; but there were other gentlemen eligible to fill the office , and he did think it a hardship that the collar should again be placed on his neck whilst the gentl emen composing that jury had none of them as yet worn it . (Loud cries of Hear, hear . As the town had progre sse dinits commercial prosper ity, various new institutes had arisen , and were arising , adapted to its altered circumstances .

He would ask them if a town like this , with a police as impotent in principle as futile in its attempts to discharge business which devolved upon it , ought to remain in its present state , o having for its officers not men , as in ther towns , contending for the appointment , and ready to sacrifice everything to obtain it , but gentlemen appointed in opposition to their wills (merely because residents) , and brought forward like culprits and obliged to take the f o fice . This arose solely from the number of persons eligible to serve the public offices hav ing become so limited , through the residence of many who would otherwise have been elig ible having moved from the township . Thirty years ago the choice was ample enough , but 1 3 now it had become limited , and every year was ca se w orse making the , and increasing the hard ship upon those remaining . Even of the officers tw o who were about to retire , of these had with drawn from the township to avoid being again t s called upon . Reluc antly, therefore , he mu t — beg to withdraw from the appointment re luéta ntl a s y, he said , because so long it was the duty of men to give their services to the public he was unwilling to shrink from his own share of them . H e knew that in thus with drawing he was not removing from his shoul n ders the liability of being again called upo . n O another occasion , when in better health , and under other circumstances , he might sub mit at whatever inconvenience to himself.

M r . Neild here handed to the steward a letter from his medical attendant , Mr . W .

Anderson , certifying that he should not, until better , undertake any new duty . This letter was handed to the jury , and , after a few mo ’ ments consultation among themselves , the Foreman stated that there was not sufficient O reason , in their pinion , in that letter to induce them to alter the appointment .

M r . Neild said that on that ground he had

declined , and nothing should induce him to

submit . I 4 Mr . Newbery said there was no reason for ’ N e ilds believing that Mr . illness would be of

long duration , and no doubt his colleagues would be able to relieve him by their assistance from any arduous duties s o long as his health

was not restored .

M r . Neild replied that it would be no relief to him to be appointed to an office to neglect

its duties . He was well acquainted with the arduous duties attached to that office , and the person appointed ought to devote much of his

time to it . He trusted the jury had too much regard for the interests of the town to appoint a person whose health must oblige him to neg

leét his duties . : Mr . Newbery (laughing) Well , Mr . Neild , f you are excellently qualified for the o fice , and

we cannot find another who is . : ! M r . Neild What do you mean to tell me

that , in a town like this , there is not another person fit to be chosen to such an office ?

: . M r . Newbery Not one : ! M r . Neild What is there not one gentle man upon the jury or in the town who will volunteer his services for the good of the town ?

: . M r . Newbery Not one : Mr . Neild Then , after having so recently I S not held a public office , I do think it fair that

I should be made the scapegoat .

M r . Samuel Kay (deputy steward) : Then we

’ must pronounce him in contempt of court . ; : M r. R Cobden Have the jury come to that decision ?

: . Mr . Kay I understand so

N t . MI1. R . Cobden : o with my consent : I f it is Mr . Neild (in surprise) their decision

it is a very strained one .

The j ury here retired for about ten minutes . Ontheir return the Foreman said they could : not consent to change the appointment . : a M r . Neild Well , I cannot accept the p

pointment . : M r . Kay Is it your intention , then , to go in contempt of court ?

: . The Foreman No, M r Neild had better retire for a quarter of an hour to think of the matter : didta te M r . Neild It is not for me to to this u n court , but I would suggest , to prevent an

necessary delay , that I cannot change my de I t termination . is one which I have not come

to without mature consideration , and therefore to wait in the hope that I may alter it would only be an unnecessary detention of the jury . : M r . Kay I s the court to understand then 1 6

f trumpet orth what he had done , but for the last twenty years he had not shrunk from the performance of any public duty to which he had been liable , in which he could be of service ” to his fellow townsmen hear , hear, from a j uror) ; and during the last ten years no incon s idera ble portion of his time had been devoted to public service , in addition to having last year but one accepted the office of constable . He did s o because he thought that every man enjoying the benefit of valuable public insti t u tions was called upon to perform his quota of the public duties attached to them . I f this was to be the reward of his services they might take the furniture from his house to pay the

fine , for he would not willingly pay one farthing of it ! (Here an expression of approbation e s caped some one in the body of the court , but its repetition was prevented by the deputy steward threatening to turn any one out who should again similarly express his opinion . ) He certainly had not at the hands o f that court expefi e dsuch a fine ; he had heard the last decision of the jury, after hearing his reasons t f t for objec ing to take the o fice , with perfec as onishme nt t , and he retired from the court with a feeling of as complete disgust as he ever ex his pe rie ncedbefore in the whole course of life . 1 8 Mr . Neild then left the court .

' M r : . Mr . Kay John Ferguson , you have been appointed one of the constables ; have you any obj eétions to serve ? : t M r . Ferguson I have an objec ion ; but N after what Mr . eild has urged in excuse , and

seen the manner in which it has been received , I am sure that nothing I can say will be of

use .

M r . Ferguson and M r . David Price then

took the oaths as constables , and M r . Thomas , - deputy constable , and Messrs . James Sawley ,

John Beswick , and John Bianchi , beadles ,

were also sworn in the usual form . The jury ,

having consulted for a few moments , then

. t named John Brown , Esq (one of the Direc ors

of the Bank of Manchester) , as a fit person to borou h reeve serve the office of g , and a message

w a s sent to summon his attendance . After this somewhat exciting interlude the jury proceeded to adjudicate upon the mis of deeds butchers who sold diseased carcasses , h uxters who used false weights and measures , owners of factory chimneys that “ made large

quantities of smoke , and similar enormities . a ffea rers Cobden was appointed one of the , or assessors of the fines then ordered to be

levied . These proceedings did not excite Cob 1 9 ’ den s interest , and he was absent during a part of the proceedings . But he was present at the conclusion of the business , when the jurors received tickets entitling them to participate in a dinner at the expense of the Lord of the

Manor . Well , what in the world does all this ?” “ mean Cobden asked , Is it that in this great town of Manchester we are still living under ? the feudal system Does Sir Oswald Mosley, living up in Derbyshire , send his mandate down here for us to come into this dingy hole to elect a government for Manchester and then go and get a ticket for soup at his expense ?

Why , now I will put an end to this thing . 2 1 s t t The Court Leet met again Oc ober ,

1 8 . t a c 37, when M r John Brown reluc antly ce ted f borou h reev p the o fice of g e . They then memorialized Sir Oswald Mosley to remit the infliéted fine on M r . Neild for refusing to take 1 offi ce . . M r Cobden had drawn up a declara tion which the steward was very unwilling to receive , and some of the jurors then expressed their objection to a clause in it which suggested

incorporation . After some conversation Cob s den withdrew thi part , and the document w a s

1 h he r T i s t Lo d of th e Ma nor s ubse quently consente dto do Th e fa ét is a nno . unce d inthe M a nches ter Time s of 1 1 th ove m e r 1 8 N b , 37. 2 0 s et signed by all the jury . It forth that owing to the conversion in the centre of the town of dwelling houses into warehouses the difficulty of appointing officers was great and increasing , and was accompanied by an unwillingness to “ accept office : The jury regard such a state of things as highly ini mical to the best interests , and derogatory to the just dignity of this the second town of the empire ; and they earnestly h Ope and recommend that immediate steps ” 1 may be taken to remedy the evil .

a nches te r h ron e 2 1 5 Etob e r 1 8 c t O . M C i l , , 37

2 1

B C HAPTE R I I I . CO DE N AS M U N I P C I A L REFO RM ER . N E I ’ R . LD S efforts at conciliation and

compromise having failed , Cobden wrote asking his co-operation in a different line of attack and assuring him of success . I f you will do this thing in the way that I intend to do it , and you will join with s a me , I will undertake to y that we will get a charter of incorporation for Manchester . M r . Neild then went to Cobden and said : I have tried my way , and it does not answer ; I will go with you ; all I stipulate is , that you will not take any course but what is consistent with morality and honour, and I will join you in any way you choose in order to put an end to this state of things . The Manchester Guardian declared that a municipal corporation w a s the only way out f “ t of the di ficulty, and that it was a perfec absurdity to continue this antiquated mode of electing municipal officers in such a town as ” Manchester . M r . Archibald Prentice also vigorously advocated this reform in the Man chester Ti mes .

M r . Cobden , who had already taken part in local administration as a commissioner of police and as a sidesman of the Old Church , wrote a pamphlet entitled , I ncorporate your

Borough , and five thousand copies were cir 2 4

COB D E N ’S RESI D ENCE IN QU A ! MA NCH E STE E NOW TH COUNT! C OU RT . c u la ted t ra ét . For many years this was sought t for by local collec ors , but it appeared to be M 1 0 rs . hopelessly lost , when in 9 3 Cobden Unwin found a copy amongst some family

papers . It was written in the big roomy house ’ Cobde ns in Quay Street , which was long resi

dence , and which was afterwards the home of ’ Owens College , and is now the County Court . In this pamphlet Cobden styles himself a

Radical Reformer, and this was perhaps the

best description that could be given of him .

The uneasiness with which the Whigs , from

first to last , watched his proceedings was due to the fa ét that he would not be bound by party re ties , and refused to acquiesce in what he t garded as mischievous ac ion , whether it was proposed by Whig or Tory . Whilst he always sought to be one

Wh o kne w th e s ea sons w h e nto ta ke O c c a s on th e h a nda ndma e i by , k Th e ou nds of re e om w de r e t b f d i y , he was not afraid of unpopular opinions , and was in advance of the “ official Liberals on most questions . Thus , in speaking at a dinner

6th 1 8 . given September , 37, to M r Joseph Brotherton on his re -elect ion (by a majority

M P . of two) as . for Salford , Cobden made a

spirited appeal , for the ballot , and mentioned E 2 5 that he had writtento M r . Grote suggesting that a lecturer should be sent out with the two fold mission of advocating the ballot and of collecting evidence in favour of its necessity .

And he made a pointed allusion to M r . Trafford who had brought up 1 00 of his tenants at the 1 late election like cattle to the market . I n a 1 r 1 8 speech in London , 5th Janua y , 45 , he said ’ “ in regard to women s suffrage . I wish they had the franchise, for they would often make ” a much better use of it than their husbands .

And in a speech in the House of Commons , “ 6 th 1 8 8 July , 4 , he narrated a conversation with a gentleman who w a s engaged in dr awing up T the Charter . his was , no doubt , Francis

Place , who asked Cobden to support universal re suffrage on the ground of principle . He plied , If it is a principle that a man shall have a vote because he pays taxes , why should not also a widow who pays taxes , and is liable to serve as churchwarden and overseer, have a vote for Member of Parliament ? Place was ’ in favour of women s suffrage , but he was out voted on this point by his colleagues . Cobden “ — adds : I observed that he acted as I did he ” gave up the principle , and adopted expediency . It is a matter of some interest that women ’ s

a nch e st er me s th e te m er 1 8 M Ti , 9 S p b , 37. 1 2 suffrage was advocated in 79 by Mr . George 1 8 28 Philips of Manchester , who in was created

a baronet . He was the Chairman of the Man

chester Exchange , and laid the foundation 1 806 stone of the building in . I ncorporate your Borough shows the qualities that pre-eminently distinguished Cob ’ den s speeches and writings . H is main reliance

is on the logic of facts . These are arranged with the greatest skill so that the reader is carried forward step by s tep to an inevitable

conclusion . There are some vigorous satirical ’ C obde ns touches , but main effort in this as in all his political efforts is not either to dazzle or

to irritate , but to persuade , and to persuade

not by fine words or even by lofty eloquence , but by a sober statement of the truths of the ’ case and by deduc t ions logically to be drawn

from them . It is an admirable example of Cob ’ den s powers of exposition . I n the following chapter the reader will find 1 a reprint of this pamphlet , and at p . 39 a fac simile reprint .

E LLOW TOWNS M E N and Brother

Reformers . Lord J ohn Russell declared in the House of Commons a few days ago that the la ndedMia mi has , and ought to have , an ascendancy over the town populations in the parliamentary representation of the country ; but he forgot to explain his meaning by the ' ‘ ddz m r es f term la n e e . Let us try to supply the

omission . There are the labourers on the soil , who constitute forty-nine out of fifty of the rural population ; what influence has this vast majority ever possessed in the counsels of the ? empire Consult the fires of Swing, the history of the Dorchester labourers , and the report of the new poor law commissioners for an answer ! -a t- The tenants will form , probably , one in a hundred of the inhabitants of the agricultural t distric s , and the fifty pound Chandos clause has given to their landlords , I had almost said ow ners their , such a recognized property in their mockery of a franchise , that we no longer s ee eleétion shudder when we them , at a general , marching by hundreds , like gangs of white slaves , to the hustings , to vote at the command of their Tory drivers . Does Lord John mean that the opinions of these helots have any ascendancy in the legislature . No ; for his 30 ’ ' la ndedz nler es l la nd lordship s term , read the ' — lor dz nler es l the interest of the aristocracy and squirearchy of the country, a body con stitu ting not a fract ion of one ten thousandth part of the entire community , as opposed to the just interest of the nation at large ! The la ndlord interest , we are told , by its child and champion , the H ome Secretary , has a right to — dominion over the towns , this is a claim of very ancient standing . We read in history , that more than five hundred years since the barbarous ancestors Of these very same feudal landlords used to make excursions from their strongholds to plunder , oppress , and ravage , with fire and sword , the peaceable and indus triou s inhabitants of the towns ; until at length the kings of England , whowere , in turn , exposed the ins ole nce to ofthese marauders , from motives of policy, gave to the principal towns charters co of corporation , or which enabled their inhabitants to govern themselves , and ’ protec t their persons and property from such lordly depredators a s chanced to inhabit the neighbouring baronial castles . The battle of our day is still against the aristocracy ; and not the young and innocent occupant of the throne . The lords of Clumber , Belvoir , and

Woburn , although they can no longer storm your town , and ransack your stores and shops ,

at the head of their mailed vassals , are as effectually plundering your ma nu fa étu re rs and

their artisans ; for , by the aid of their parch -a t - ment votes and tenant will serfs , they are still enabled to levy their infamous bread tax

upon your industry . And must you tamely i subm t to this pillage , or, like your ancestors

of old , will you not resist the aristocratic ? plunderers If the latter, then imitate your forefathers by union and co-operation ; amal ga ma te all ranks in your town by securing to all classes a share in its government and pro teét ion f ; give unity, force , and e ficiency to the intelligent and wealthy community of Man

chester , and qualify it by organization , as it e already is entitled by numbers , to be the lead r

in the battle against monopoly and privilege . E I n a word , INCORPORAT YOUR BOROUGH . A ét The new municipal Corporation , which was passed in 1 835 when the spirit of reform

ruled triumphantly in the House of Commons , was concoét edby a body of commissioners whose leaders were thorough Radicals ; and although it received some damage , in the

natural course of things , in its passage through f the Lords , yet su ficient was extorted from the fears of the upper House , so recently 32 A ét humbled by the passage of the Reform , to secure a charter of popular self-government applicable to all the great towns of the kingdom , and of a more democratic c h a ra éte r than any other institution in Europe , excepting , perhaps , it be found in Switzerland . A Ct By this every male person of full age , who has occupied for three years , and been

- rated for any house , shop , counting house , warehouse , or room (they may by either the ’ sa me or dzf er enl premises) and has lived that time within seven miles of the borough , is a burgess of such borough , and a member of its body corporate , of mayor , aldermen , and burgesses . The government of the boroughs

is vested in the council , to be composed of

mayor , aldermen , and councillors . The num ber of aldermen is i n the proportion of one third of the councillors , who are more or less numerous according to the size of the borough ; in Leeds and Liverpool they have each forty

eight councillors and sixteen aldermen , which would probably be the complement for Man

chester . The councillors are elected by the

- burgesses for a term of three years , one third re - going out every year , but being eligible . eleét e d The aldermen are by the councillors , either from their own body or from the F 33 burgesses , for a term of six years , one half going out at the end of every third year, but r - t being also eligible for e elec ion . The mayor is eleétedevery year by the council from the aldermen and councillors ; he is a magistrate by virtue of his office , and also for a year after he ceases to be mayor ; and he has precedence in all places within the borough . The larger boroughs , where quarter sessions are held , are exempt from the payment of county rates .

I n the original bill , as passed by the Commons , power was given to the town councils to s u b eét nominate borough magistrates , j to the approval of the Government , which clause was altered by the peers , leaving the absolute appointment in the hands of the crown . But the Whig ministry has a éte dup to the original intention of the bill by calling on the councils in to nominate magistrates , and almost every case confirming their choice ; so that the power of e leéting their own magistrates virtually rests with the corporations . There are , of course , a multitude of other clauses in the A ét ; amongst which are regulations for the appointment of a town clerk and a recorder , and for forming a watch committee ; fines fixed for refusing to serve when eleéted; power given to the council b - to make y laws , and to fine to the extent of 34 five pounds ; and there is a clause exempting the burgesses from serving as jurors at courts of quarter sessions for the county . The fundamental principles of the new Muni — cipal Corporation A ét are the h oa seh oldga a lzl ea llon a nda n e ua lit o s u r a o fi , q y f f g ; upon these broad and secure foundations the entire ’

t . superstruc ure rests Every man s vote , how ever humble his circumstances may be , is of ’ equal value with his wealthiest neighbour s . There is no clause borrowed from Sturges ’ Bourne s A cit giving six votes to the rich mill owner, and only one to the smal l shopkeeper .

The banker or the merchant , though worth a million , and though he ride in his carriage to the polling booth , can only record the same number of votes as the poor artisan , who walks there perhaps slip -shod and aproned from his garret or cellar . 1 80 Upwards of large towns , situated in every part of the empire , are governed accord ing to the provisions of the new Municipal A ét sa tis fa étion Reform , and with universal to

. t the people They are , in fac , so many little democracies , calculated to afford useful lessons of equality ; to destroy the barriers behind which the proud and wealthy are too prone to th rust the poor and dependent ; to teach the 35 res eét a b eét haughty few to p the j many ; and , which is of greater value still , they tend to i mpart to the multitude the elevating feelings - of self respect . By a provision of the Municipal Corporation ‘ A ct Reform , the Privy Council has the power to incorporate any town whose inhabitants o petiti n for the privilege . Birmingham lately held a great public meeting , in its noble town it s o u la r hall , for that purpose , at which p p S ch olefi eld members , Messrs . Attwood and , and all the Radical leaders attended , when resolutions were unanimously and e nth u s i a stica lly passed in favour of an i mmediate application to the Privy Council for an incor ora tion ! p of that borough . Fellow townsmen follow the example of the men of Birmingham , who are always foremost in the path of reform - INCORPORATE YOUR BOROUGH . The mode of securing the advantages of democratic self government for your town is easy and simple .

Let a public meeting be called , and resolutions be passed in favour of the object desired ; then appoint a committee to prepare a petition to ’

Her Majesty in council . A month s notice must be given in the Ga z elle before the application can be taken into consideration ; afterwards , and in due course of official proceedings , the 36

! BOROUGH and thenceforth neither Mr . Hulton ,

of Hulton , nor any Tory squire or parson , will ever come i nto your town at the head of a

dozen magisterial bumpkins , first to let loose

a troop of fox hunters , disguised as yeomanry w cavalry, to try the metal of their s ords upon

helpless women and children , and afterwards to return public thanks to the officers and men for their extreme forbearance on the occasion ! 1 No ; for by one of the provisions of the Cor ora tion A et p Reform , no person can be appoint ed to the office of j ustice of the peace in any of

the boroughs holding quarter sessions , unless he li ve withi n the limits prescribed for the

residences of the burgesses . I n this clause

1 The c onduét of the Common Counc il of th e c ity of on on a t th s me a ncho a ndme mora e e r o roves L d , i l ly bl p i d, p th e a va nt a es de r ve drom a munc a c or ora t on a r d g i f i ip l p i , p tic ula rly int imes of e x c ite me nt a ndda nge r ; a ndc ont ra st s mou rnfu lly w ith the p ros t ra t e a ndh e lpl e ss fa te of th e tow n f n h s r for w a n f such a nor a nz a t on No soon r o M a c e t e t o g i i . e w a s it know nth a t the Prince Re ge nt h a dbee n a dvise dt o e xp re ss his a pproba t ionof th ose procee dings th a nth e Com monCounc il of Londonp a sse d re sol utions c onde mning th e “ c onduét of th e ma gi st ra t e s a ndy e oma nry a s be ing di sgra ce fu lto the c h a ra éte r of Engli shme n a ndthe y a ddre ssedthe r nce e ent re mons tra t n w th his ro a h hne ss for P i R g , i g i y l ig h a ving be e nind uce dto e xpress his a pp rova l of the c onduél: of the a e ttors a nd e r e t ra tors of th ose a troc t e s a nd b p p i i , p ra ying h im to ca use th e gu ilt y pe rpe t ra tors the re of to be rou h t s n a nd nd n unshm nt b g to ig a l co ig p i e . 38 ffi alone I find a su cient reason , if there were a ét not a hundred others , for applying for an

of incorporation , and thus to place for ever the population of our town and neighbourhood be

yond the control of a booby squirearchy, who abhor us not more for our love of political freedom than for those a étive and intelleét ua l pursuits which contrast so strongly with that — mental stupor in which they exist I had a l — most said vegetate . I have endeavoured to give you a faint out A ét line of the new Municipal Reform , under the provisions of which it is in your power to place your borough ; but let me now glance for a moment , for the sake of contrast , at the kind of government which this place at present suffers under . The chief municipal officer i s borou h re eve the g , appointed at the Court Leet of the Lord of the Manor ; the two constables being chosen at the same time and manner, for the heads of the police ; and the three are uni ve rs a lly recognized as the highest authori t ies of the town ; and responsible for the peace , lives , and properties of this populous , wealthy, and somewhat excitable community . Now , how will my readers , who are not in the secret , be surprised when they are told of the manner in which these important fu nét iona ries are 39 appointed to the government of the second town in the British Empire ! It cannot be better explained than by describing the proceedings at the last Court Leet of the Lord of the Manor , when it was my amusing fate to be summoned as one of the j urors .

And first for the locality, where the august ceremony of the e leétionof the highest muni cipa l officers for the town of Manchester takes

place . n At the appointed hour , ascendi g by a flight n of steps in Brown Street , leadi g up to several ’ other apartments , and to a dancing master s

academy amongst the rest , I reached the door

of the manor court room , which is large , and altogether destitute of furniture , whose

- row of tall old fashioned windows would , but

for the crust of smoke and dirt that covered.

. a t them , have afforded a cheerful light The mosphere of the room was heavy and stale ; it had probably been confined ever since the last public meeting of the teetotalers was held

there , a month before . To the left of the door but lay a heap of sawdust , provided , perhaps ( coneét u re this is only j ) , against a meeting

of operative Conservatives , when it would be judiciously strewed on the floor to hide the dirt which those worthies are accustomed to 40 carry about them . A filthy white dog, with black spots , had curled himself upon this tempting bed ; and he lifted up his ears with excusable surprise at the shrill tones of the crier, who now opened the court with the usual 0 ” yes , followed by an unintelligible jargon of Saxon , old English , and Norman epithets . The jurors were now penned within a small enclosure at the furthest extremity of the room ; the representative of the Lord of the Manor took his seat in a small desk springing from the wall ; his legal agent s a t below ; the oaths were administered to the jurymen ; and the as se s sor v , ha ing in about three minutes and a half delivered his charge , adjourned the court till the afternoon . Whilst these preliminaries were going on I looked over the enclosure which , I supposed , was designed to separate s eéta tors the crowd of p from the jurors , and I exa étl counted , besides the police constables , y s evenindividua ls , and they , one by one , walked listlessly away , leaving the jurors only in the deserted and murky chamber ; and we now proceeded to make choice of three persons to fill the offices of borough ree ve and constables — of Manchester a task in which we were greatly quickened by the piercing cold vapour with which the apartment was filled . Having G 4 1 dispatched messengers to the individuals nomi na te d , summoning them to appear in the after f noon , to be sworn into o fice , we separated . At the appointed hour the court and jurors again assembled , when the gentleman who had been nominated to the office of borough reeve attended and claimed to be exempted on the ground of ill health and previous services . The jurors protested that there was not a n in other person remaining the township liable , and at the same time eligible , to fill this high office . Some little difference of opinion exist re ing , however , we requested permission to t O tire , and were conduc ed through a door pen ing off the landing outside the room into a i closet under the sta rs , In which were deposited the bonnets , shawls , cloaks , and clogs of the nymphs who w e re t h rea ding the mazes of the quadrille and waltz in the dancing academy above . Here some stood , while others sat , and the remainder stooped beneath the stairs , till a c our deliberations , which were not a little cele ra te d by our incommodious quarters , were brought to a close , and we returned into court with a verdiét against the claims to exemption b orou h re eve e leét put in by the g , who there upon was declared contumacious , and fined

2 00 . £ (which fine was afterwards, remitted) 4? Our choice next fell upon an individual absent from Manchester, and the court was adjourned for two days that he might have time to a p pear . On reassembling at the appointed time he presented himself to protest against the t nomination ; but he yielded reluc antly , and the honour was at last gently forced upon him . The two individuals chosen constables were also unwillingly compelled to take the oaths of office . The crier soon afterwards formally adjourned the court to the M os ley A r ms H otel or dinner f , at which all present laughed heartily ; and thus , very appropriately , ’ terminated the f a r ce (y a mode election of of ficer s to gover n t/ee af a ir s of th e tow n of

M a nch es ter . Neither the borough reeve nor the constables t whom I joined in elec ing were known to me , privately or publicly . I had not the least know of ledge them , personally or by repute ; and other jurors were alike in the dark upon the s u bj eét of their qualifications : The jury sum monedto appoint those O fficers are selected by the legal agent of the Lord of the Manor ; they attend unwillingly ; the constables serve their offices unwillingly ; the borough reeve submits to his appointment unwillingly ; the is public indifferent to the whole proceeding , 43 not one in ten thousand of the population of Manchester attending to witness it ; probably not one person in fifty of the inhabitants of the borough knows even the names of the b orough re eve and constables at this moment ; and not one individual in two hundred is a c

qua intedwith them personally . Yet to them is intrusted the guardianship of the peace of

the town ; and , in case of emergency , on them should we be compelled to depend for conduét to command the confidence of a population of 1 00 persons , of whom not five in ever heard of their names ! 1 How much ought we to t hank that inherent love of order and

reverence for authority in the people which , notwithstanding our absurd adhesion to O ld

and obsolete forms of government , secure to

us , i n spite of ourselves , the blessings of tran quillity ! The difficulty in appointing individuals re siding within the township who alone are liable to serve the offices of boroughreeve and

constables , arises from the circumstance of

1 b e to be u n e rstoo a s re e rr n on t o th e s ste m I g d d f i g ly y , a ndnot me a ning a ny thing pe rsona l or invidious ina ll uding to th ese e nt e me n w h o a re e e ve a s re ut a e a nda s g l , , I b li , p bl w e ll q ua lifi e da s a ny of th e i r pre de ce s sors to fi ll th e offi ce s t o w h ch th e a re a o nte i y pp i d . 44 of rna stif dogs a ndbitch es ! l The tone t Ch has s o long prevailed in the government of the town has naturally enough pervaded all our public institutions , and even entered into the private arrangements of social life . It is well understood , for example , that if the shop ’ keeper s family be not formally inte rdiéted from entering our public assemblies , they would not be consulting their own interest or enjoy ment by attending them , and the retailer would a f a I n find it , probably , lmost as di ficult , to g admission to our clubs and our concert as he ’ might to obtain the privilege of entr e to the ’ zonles a le Queen s court . The o dealer in fustians ba nd/es or fents , whose occupy a garret or cel os lar, from which they only issue in the gr s , - may , however vulgar in mind or ill bred in n h manners , gain admissio wit out difficulty to places of privileged resort , from which the retail

mercer or j eweller , with perhaps ten times the re wealth , and whose vocation demands some fi ne me nt of manners and cultivation of mind ,

would feel himself excluded . What wonder , t V with these fac s in iew, if we sometimes meet with Tory-radicals or operative Conservatives !

1 h s w a s M r dw a rd o dthe a n e r w h ose re a t on T i . E L y , b k , l i , - r m n s s in1 860 c re a te d or O ve r M . a ue o e o w a S l J L yd , , , L d s tone . W . E . A . A . What wonder if the sincere democrat , finding

a counterfeit aristocracy everywhere current , should grow bewildered at the sight of the

spurious imitations , and , to escape deception , prefer such as bear the genuine stamp of nobility ! How different from the state of things just described is the condition of social life in the t city of London , where all distinc ion of rank between the wholesale and retail dealer is unknown—where warehousemen and shop ’ if cha ra é te r keepers , upon a par in wealth , , and education , meet at assemblies and clubs , or interchange domestic v isits i n a spirit of per feét equality . But in the city of London , where you will find no manor Court Leet diffusing its

tone of feudal insolence and slavish servility , there is a corporation renowned for its liberal character; and more than a moiety of its

common councilmen , and several of the alder

men , are shopkeepers . The celebrated Alder Wa ithma n f man , who served the high o fices of Sheriff of Middlesex and Lord Mayor of

London , and was long a member for the city, a nd was a linen draper, the business of his shop is still carried on at the corner of Fleet

Street by his sons . At the shop formerly

occupied by Alderman Birch , the pastry cook , 47 e in Cornhill , you may still refr sh yourselves with buns or halfpenny biscuits ; and the

present Lord Mayor of London , now Sir John t Cowan , Bar , who received a visit from the

Sovereign herself, and whose lady entertained H er Majesty and the princesses with such a d

mirable dignity, is a dealer in candles ; his shop 1 5 t In the Poultry , direc ly opposite to the

Mansion H ouse , which induced some waggish

Cockney , on the day of his installation as "

Lord Mayor , to write upon his window; Removedover th e w a y. But another of the difficulties in the way of finding proper persons to fill the offices of borough re eve and constables remains to be T noticed . here has been a tacit , if notan avowed , exclusion of Dissenters from these appoint 0 ments . N person has yet been allowed to fill the post of borough reeve who would not

attend at the Collegiate Church every Sunday, and thus afford his offi cial sa nétionto the H igh Church and high Tory doctrines which are

said to be promulgated from its pulpit . One

of the merits of the new Corporation Charter , dis and not its least , is that it recognizes no ‘ t s eéts tinc ion of ; and if, to use the language of one of the speakers 1 at the late meeting to

1

M r s . . Will 48 the petition for incorporation of Birmingham , the Dissenters should avail themselves of

this and eve ry . other fragment of power to counterpoise the influence brought into play ” against them , then I need not doubt of the a étive co-operation of that most influential body in Ma—nchester when I say to them more espe c ia lly INCOR PO RATE ! OUR BOROUGH . Having thus taken a hasty glance at the

present mode of governing this town , and also endeavoured to give a slight sketch of the leading ch a ra cfte ris tics of the Municipal Cor ora tion A et t p Reform , sufficient fac s are before the reader to enable him to come to a decision ’ t upon the respec ive merits of the two systems . It remains for the inhabitants of Manchester to determine whether the control over the police of the town shall remain in the hands of in dividua ls , nominated by the irresponsible jury ofan antiquated Court Leet , convened byprivate summons , and sitting in an obscure and dingy apartment , or huddled together in a stairs closet ; or whether the municipal officers shall be chosen from amongst the best and most popular men in the borough , in open day , and in public assembly , after a full discussion of res edtive the merits of the p candidates , by the people, who will afterwards support them in

H 49 ; their authority, and to whom, in return , they shall be responsible . Such is the choice sub mitt edto the people of Manchester . I s there a party , or is there a man amongst us who will hesitate to raise his voice in favour of democratic self-government ? If there be such a man , mark him , for whatever his p rofessions

may be , depend upon it he is not at heart a

reformer or a friend of the people . The new corporations are trades ’ unions in opposition — ” to the corn -law tyrants the la ndedinteres t ; they are normal schools of agitation for the education of orators and patriots ; they are

u s e . (to the words of Thomas Attwood , Esq , t M P . a . , uttered the late meeting at Birm “ ingham , before referred to) real and legal

political unions in every borough , and they accomplish things much better than the Politi

cal Union , which is very difficult to move , and attended with great hazard and expense

into the bargain . Such being the nature and

tendency of the new corporations , you may be

assured , if the proposal to apply for one for

Manchester be resisted , the opposition will

not come from the sincere reformers . The shop

keepers , to a man , will support the plan , because

its immediate operation will tend , as has already

been shown by the example of London , to 50 elevate them to their proper level in the social f - scale , and af ord to the public spirited individ ua ls of that most influential class an enlarged

field of usefulness . The Dissenters of almost s eét every will , on this as on all other occasions ,

be found on the side of wholesome reform .

Who , then , will oppose the incorporating of ? so the borough They , alone , who resisted s trenuou slythe pa ss ingofthe Municipal Reform A ét ; they who thwarted the commissioners in their inquiries into the corruptions of those 1 8 dens of iniquity , the old corporations , in 34 ,

and afterwards defended the rotten boroughs ,

by counsel , at the bar of the House of Lords in 1 835 ; they who petitioned the peers to de

prive the bill of some of its best provisions , and procured the insertion of the odious quali fi ca tionclause for councillors ; they who now refuse corporations to Ireland ; they who en

tailed upon Liverpool , Norwich , and the rest of the boroughs the curse of their venal free TH E O R E S men ; they , T I , will , by every art , o man euvre , and device oppose the attempt to

incorporate your borough . They know that at an e leét ion of councillors and aldermen not three out of the sixty-four of our members of the town council will be Tories ; they know this , and therefore they will wisely and 5 1 consistently oppose the incorporation of . the borough . But they will take care not to come forward ’ in their own charac t er ; they will resist your efforts under th e guise of re s peét to the people ; they will fight you under the f alse colours of economy ; they will pretend to be the tr ihnnes of th e poor ; and probably cover the walls of the town with handbills , calling upon us to a - bew re of a Bourbon police , poor law unions , and bastiles ; or they will repeat the story pla carded throughout Birmingham the day before “ the great meeting there , that the Government will not grant a corporation unless we agree ” tospend a year ! All these and a thousand other tricks will be resorted to by the Tories to cover their real designs of keep ing down the people and retaining all the

power in their own hands . But they will fail here as signally as they did in the town hall

of Birmingham ; for , when the time for holding

the public meeting arrives , not a single Tory

will attend our town hall , as was the case in

the above instance , to witness the enthusiastic and unanimous vote in favour of a petition to

the Privy Council to incorporate the borough . But the Tories have a plan of their own for eleétin f g municipal o ficers , as a substitute for 5 2

must depend altogether upon the discretion of the burgesses in elect ing prude nt ' a ndeconomi cal councillors to manage their affairs . The

housekeepers of Leeds , Liverpool , and the neighbouring borough of Stockport are found capable of choosing honest councillors and aldermen ; and I contend , notwithstanding the opinion of the Tories to the contrary , that the people of Manchester are also to be trusted with the seleétionof their public officers . It will be the fault of the housekeepers them selves if they allow their own servants to be extravagant in the expenditure of their money . As to the a éility of Manchester to support a municipal government , whilst such places as

Bath , Ipswich , St . Albans , and Scarborough s hou ldb e possess corporations , I . ashamed to offer an argument upon the subject . If the Tories be sincere in their alarm about the burdens which a corporation will i mpose upon —if the town they really believe , although one hundred and eighty boroughs in the British

Empire are at this moment incorporated , some m of which are , in extent , ere villages , that Manchester cannot or w ill not pay a similar price for the privilege of a good and free govern ment—then let them subscribe from their wealth , and send a begging box abroad , that 54 funds may be raised to rescue their native t borough from such a disgraceful distinc ion . It is said that the inhabitants of Chorlton ‘ upon -Medlock would object to have their town

ship incorporated with that of Manchester .

The reason stated is , I believe , that the rates in the former district are lighter than those in the latter ; and that to amalgamate the whole would impose an increased burden upon the - out township . I do not know how far this is fa ét the , but I will assume it for sake of argu ment . It appears to me , however , that it is a w very confined vie of the whole matter . The population of Chorlton are so entirely con neéte d with , and indeed dependent upon , Man chester, by business ties , that it is impossible the two can have separate interests . Let a person take his stand at the bottom of Lower

Brook Street , or in Oxford Street , from eight ’ to ten o clock in the morning , and behold the multitudes of people who are passing during all that time to their places of business in Manchester ; then let that person take his sta tion at either of the same spots from five to seven o ’ clock in the evening and witness the tide of population flowing back again ; and he will instantly be convinced , not only that the inhabitants of Manchester and Chorlton can 55 not have rival interests , but that they are , in ‘t fac , identically the same persons ; they are the inhabitants of Manchester by day and of

- - Chorlton upon Medlock by night . Probably, i n nine out of every ten of the houmses in the principal streets of Chorlton , one or ore male persons will be found who a re engaged in busi ness throughout the day in Manchester . It must be obvious , then , that as the owners and occupiers of property in the two townships are essentially the same , and as the equalization of the two rates could only increase the one by diminishing the other , no loss could be suffered m by such parties , any ore than the taking of money from one pocket to put it into the other would constitute a robbery . The same argu ‘ ros ectivel ments apply , fi p y at least , to the clerks and other junior members of the trading com munity residing in Chorlton , who , although they are not at present occupying warehouses or f o fices in Manchester, are enjoying the pros eét so p of doing , and who are too enlightened to oppose an amelioration in local government , in which they are probably beyond all others ultimately interested . ‘ There is one important fact in conneétion t with this subject . I t is enac ed in the Muni ci a l A ct occu p Corporation , that every person 56 in py g a warehouse , shop , house , or counting

house , in any borough , and living within seven

miles of such borough , shall be a burgess t f thereof, and be liable to be elec ed to the o fice

of Mayor , Councillor, Assessor, and all other offices in the Corporation ; and should he refuse to serve he will be s ubj eét to a fine of one

hundred pounds . It follows , therefore , that all the inhabitants of Chorlton -upon -Medlock

who possess establishments in Manchester, even will be members of the corporation , sh ou ldth e tw o tow nsh i s not be united p , and s o far from saving either money , or, which is time a o more precious , , by this separ tion of g vernments , they must submit to a sacrifice of

one or the other, in consequence of their double allegiance ; they must either consent to fill the

public offices in both townships , or else pay the 1 fines in one of them . I am not going to pass over the numerous class of small shopkeepers and others in

uc h of t h s a ndof th a t w h ch o ow s u onth e sub M i , i f ll , p n-u on- e oc a e s e ua t o a ord ét of h or to . j e C l p M dl k , ppli q lly S lf Looking b a c k ove r t he li st of b orough re eve s a ndc ons ta bl e s for th a t orou h e rc e ve th a t a most eve r ndv dua w h o b g , I p i l y i i i l h a s se rve d th ose offi ce s d u ring t h e l a s t te ny e a rs h a s p os se sse da ne sta shme nt inM a nch este r a ndw ou dh a ve e e n bli , l b ,

undr a cor ora t on a e t o fi ll a ll it s u c offi c e s . offe r e p i , li bl p bli I roundn a n a r u me n nit th s a s a fa Et w thout t u o . i , i g i g y g p I 57 Chorlton - upon -Medlock whose interests are wholly confined to the dist riét in which ! they reside . It might be said that they are not con cerned in the question of incorporating Man

chester ; but it might be easily proved , that if the township of Manchester should be placed under the admirable provisions of the Muni c i a l A et p Corporation Reform , whilst Chorlton upon - Medlock continued to increase in popu

lation without the advantages of such a charter, be its government must necessarily, inntime , come unsuited to so great a commu ity ; and , supposing such an inconvenient state of things r to be perpetuated , until it we e found that the police of the township were insufficiently regu u in lated , it wo ld prove a serious evil to its dus triou s inhabitants by deterring people of

property from taking up their residence in it .

It is said , however , that Chorlton is growing s o rapidly in numbers that it will by and by

contain nearly inhabitants , and be

entitled to a corporation of its own . But that township can only increase in population in “

consequence of the growth of Manchester, of

which it must necessarily be still a suburb . It cannot possess the individual qualities of a dist inét town. No one pretends that Chorlton upon -Medlock will have an Exchange of its 58 f own , or banks , or a post o fice , a theatre , a institu newspaper, or literary and scientific - tions , or news rooms , or any of the usual con comita nts of a great and independent com t munity . But were the fac s before stated urged

in opposition , they must prove fatal to such a

claim . If it were shown before the Privy

Council , from statistical data , as might easily ro ortI on inh a bi be done , that a great p p of the tants of Chorlton were already burgesses of t the Corporation of Manchester , a distinc

charter would , under such circumstances , cer

t a inl . y not be granted It has , to be sure , been good-h u mou re dly imputed to Chorlton -upon Medlock that it has hopes of being a parlia ! a etive mentary borough I hope , however , its and public-spirited reformers will not detach themselves from their political brethren in Manchester until they have a more certain p ros peét than at present of possessing that privilege ; we cannot afford to lose such valu I t able allies . is to a number of intelligent and

influential inhabitants of Chorlton , more than probably to all the voters besides (a ndth e f a t t sp ea hs volumes top rove th e identity of inter ests er va din th e tw o tow nsh i s p g p ) that one , if not

both of our borough members , are indebted for

their returns . But I have trespassed so long on your atten tion that I shall only add one other argument in favour of the obj eét I am advocating ; but it is an argument that will appeal not less to the reason than the sympathies of all who can feel for the sufferings of their oppressed and tortured fellow countrymen in the sister

island . It is very well known that the I rish are contending for corporation reform ; they are struggling to get rid of those legalized Orange

Lodges , misnamed corporations , which harass them in every borough ; they desire to el ect their own municipal officers from amongst

their patriotic and honourable fellow citizens , i nstead of having thrust upon them (to u se ’ ’ O Connell s words at the late Stockport festival)

some pitiful politician , making the day dis

agreeable by his party politics , and the night

disgusting by the worst party toasts , who,

after oppressing the people by day, insults

them by night . But he is thwarted in the

legislature , in his attempt to reform these

rotten boroughs , by the Tories ; and what is ? the favourite argument the latter use why, f that Manchester, Birmingham , and She field

have no corporations , and yet they are very prosperous and content ! One of the purest of a o her patriots described to me, a few weeks g , 60

CHAPTER V A TOWN ’ S M E ET I NG I N T H E EARL! VI CTO RIAN PE RI O D ITH the publication of “ Incorporate your Borough ! there began one of the most remarkable episodes in the history of English local government . It must be acknowledged that the pamphlet failed in its main intention of enlisting the sympathy of the extreme Radicals . They were always suspicious of the Whigs and were often ready to fight with those who would give them half of their desires , and to ally themselves with those w how ouldrefuse all that they demanded .

'

The extremist in politics , unless he is gifted with saving common sense , is often the worst enemy of sober reform . So the advocates of a muni cipa l charter had to meet the opposition of the leaders both of the Conservative and of the Radical element in the town—though the mass of the rank and file seem to have been wiser - than their self appointed guides .

At the meeting of the police commissioners , loth 1 8 8 January, 3 , there were several refer e nces to incorporation . Mr . James Wroe men tioned a pamphlet supposed to be written by

M r . Cobden , in which a great many plausible arguments were used to induce the people of ” Manchester to incorporate the borough . M r . Wroe insisted amid much laughter that any k fi ll h f shop e eper w a s able to t e highest o fice . He 64

TH E TO H C H E TE R NOW TH E WN ALL, MAN S , FREE

REFERENCE LI BRARY . r v ee e , and it received the signatures of about The b orou h ree e a thousand ratepayers . g v and constables called the meeting for 9th February 1 838 .

I n the meantime Mr . Cobden addressed a series of questions to the Town Clerk of Stock “ : port . One question was Would a corpora tion , by bringing periodically the housekeepers of all classes together for the purposes of

t . canvassing , selec ing councillors , etc , tend to b give consolidation to the Li eral party , and to elevate th e ch a ra éter and influence of the parliamentary non -elecftors by such an amalga ? ” 1 ’ mation M r . Coppock s letter in answer, dealing with the results of incorporation , was circulated as a document in the campaign that followed . The opponents of incorporation were also on the alert . The walls were covered with placards until , as the Manchester Guardian “ - observed , the bill stickers had no resource but to cover one tissue of falsehoods by past ing a newer and equally false placard over it . The corporators were charged with desiring to introduce a Bourbon police , to cram the

new poor law down the throats of the people , and to cause unlimited expense . The pro

1 a nch e ste r u a rda n 2 th a nua r 1 8 8 M G i , 4 J y , 3 . 66 COPY OFCIRCULAR CORPORATI ON obse r ed the b l -! s c e s h a dn neSour e , o v i l ti k r , c b ut to co ve r One ti ss ue of .fa lse hoods : by pa st ’ a er a nd a s a a d v r ing new eq ually f l e pl c r o e Ii. The corporators were chargedw ith to o uce a Bo o ce to intr d urbon p li , new poor la w down t he N ME E G TOW CORPORA TI O TIN , N HA LL,

' o . OnFRID A ! Moa nm , FE B 9th, u 10 o cnocx.

The Committee most ea rnestly requ est tha t ou w a ttendw th our fr e nds a t the a ove meet n to y ill i y i b i g, su ort the reso ut ons infa vour of a unc a Cor ora t on pp l i M i ip l p i , w hich w ill secure to Ma nchester a cha rter of self-government the sa me a s tha t la tely p etitione dfor by the p eople of Bir min ha m a nda rea d ossessed ever other rea t town g , l y p by y g in the in dom b w hi th a ff irs of the orou h the k g ; y ch e a b g , contro over its e enditure a ndthe e ect onof oca ma s l xp , l i l l gi tra tes w i be a cedin the ha nds of the le a ers a t , ll pl yp y a r e ea ch of w hom w l thenbe entit edto one vote a nd l g , il l , one vote on without a n re ference to the a mount of his ly, y a ss s m nt e s e .

ha ve the honor to rema n I i ,

Sir,

order of the Committee By , W G EO . I S L ON ,

HON. SE C RE TA R! .

— ’ P . S . P lea se not t o be la t er tha n 10 oclock.

o i c u la z noit a t ion to Q oz oz a t ion ! c e t in f (g z J p g,

bz a a z t h 1 83 8. g e y 9 , mote rs were stigmatized as base , bloody, and brutal Whigs . A variant of this description was to call them devilish Whigs . The Municipal Corporations A ét was described as “ infamous and i nfernal . Some of the opponents obtained admission to the Town Hall before the doors were O pened to the rate

- a t . . payers half past ten Mr John Brown , the b orou h ree ve g , took the chair , supported by the two constables , Mr . John Ferguson and M r .

David Price . The attendance was large at the it w a s beginning and continued to increase , and estimated that there were nearly present . A very full report appeared in the “ Manchester l oth 1 8 8 Guardian , February, 3 , and is here reproduced . The borough reeve asked for a quiet and tem O perate discussion , and warned the pposition against any uproar, noise , or disturbance .

Mr . Richard Cobden then came forward , and

: . was loudly cheered . He said M r Borough reeve and gentlemen , I have the honour to pro pose the first resolution to your consideration “ this day . It is as follows That it is due to the cha ra ét e r of this important borough that its chief municipal officers should be a body popularly chosen , instead of being nominated ’ by the Lord of the Manor s Court Leet ; and 6 7 that , as a preliminary stepto the establishment - m of a responsible local self govern ent , a peti tion be presented to Her Majesty in council for A ét a charter of incorporation , under the , fifth 6 ‘ and sixth William IV, cap . 7 , called The A English Municipal ét . I f there be any individual present who dif fers from the spirit of this resolution we shall a nd be glad , in due course , to hear his reasons arguments against it . We have met this day to discuss a question of vital importance , not merely to ourselves , but to those who will come after us in this metropolis of the ma nu fa étu res of England ; and upon our decision this day must depend very important results , for ages to come , to this population . (Hear. ) Let me , then , back the request of our excellent chair man , and beg that this important question may be discussed as one submitted to rational beings , and not to be clamoured down . Now, it may happen that from this side of the room observations may come , levelled at the offices borou h reeve of g and constables , which will have no reference to the individuals who now

fill these offices , and I should wish that , in anything said on this side , it may be borne in mind that we have no wish to offer any s li ht toth ose t g respec ed individuals who , much 68 lowing him to make vassals of the people of

- - Chorlton upon Medlock , Hulme , and other ? ? adjoining townships Shall we do that No ,

. e no , and groans ) I warn those gentlem n who are making a noise , and whose faces I have e nev r seen before , that their interruption of the re proceedings will not benefit their cause . I A ét peat , the Corporation is already enjoyed by every other large town in the kingdom , except be Birmingham , whose petition for it is now fore the Privy Council . And if we determine to consider this question , let us have reason , and no clamour . You are told that this corporation will bring great expense upon your shoulders . so ? Was there ever groundless a charge Why, it was passed with the very Vie w togive economy to town government , to deprive the oligarchy of their power in two hundred and fifty of our

large towns , and to put that power into the

hands of the people themselves . And shall we be told , by individuals who do not usually assemble here , that if the people have all power and control over their own affairs they will heavily tax and ruin themselves ? Can any one assert this but the vilest of the vile , those who are hired by the ignorant , stupid Tories to ? clamour here Shame , laughter , cheers , and groans , in the midst of which Elijah Dixon 70 was very vociferous , but the chairman with his hand intimated tha t h e cou ldnot then b e h ea rd. ) a s mea s u re b u t I do not seek this a party , as one which should carry out the great democratical principle tha t men shall govern themselves . Let us see what this Corporation A ét is before we adopt it . Every householder , for three years , paying however small an amount of rate , is a member of the body corporate , and has an e leét ion equal vote for the of councilmen , alder men , and mayor . No , from the Tory Radi cals . ) I am aware that misrepresentations have gone abroad , but I pledge my word of honour a ét that by this every individual , however low his assessment , shall have one vote , and that an individual possessing three or four ware if houses , even he be assessed at a “ year, can have but one vote . ( Hear and

No . The burgesses are required once a year to e le6t one-third part of the council ; ‘t - which being elec ed for three years , one third of its number retire every year ; and thus every year there will be that delightful agitation — which I love to see a h eleétionof one com — mon councilman for eve ryw a rd just enough to ’ re mindthe the dont other two , if y behave them selves , that their turn is coming . There are - forty eight councillors in Liverpool , and that 71 would be the number in Manchester ; and these e le ét e d e leét being , proceed to sixteen alder men . The aldermen have no power or voice beyond the councillors , sitting and voting with e leét ed them , except that they are by the men e ledt whom you would , and that in the absence of the mayor they may take precedence and prevent smaller men from quarrelling about d prece ence with them . At their own board they e leCt the mayor , who would be the chief magis trate of this town , having precedence even over the Queen herself, if she should come to the borough ; while the Lord - Lieutenant of the county would be second to him in the borough .

He would preside at all your courts of justice , and be your supreme ruler, and yours only . Can there be anything more democratic or ? republican than that N Why , the corporation of New York is upon the same — principle councilmen , aldermen , and mayor . And the government of the United States is upon that principle . It is universal suffrage , annual parliaments , vote by ticket , if not vote

. eleét by ballot You , who have to councillors , aldermen , and mayor , take care to choose dis cree t , proper persons ; and , having watched their course , and known their public and pri t s t e . vate charac er , them to work But we are 72

nominating j ustices of the borough , and the Queen in council will confirm the nomination

you make . It is not a part of the Corporation A ét that there should be magistrates because m there are com on councilmen , but the present ‘ e I s t O cftobe r Ministry resolv d, under date , 1 8 35 , that at all town councils , if the town council will nominate such gentlemen as they ’ think proper to be included in ‘Her Maj esty s

commission of the peace , the Queen in council

is to give due consideration to it . And since that , the appointment of every liberal magis trate nominated h a s been confirmed by the

Privy Council , and it may, to all intents and purposes , be considered as a law , and nogovern

ment will dare to depart from that precedent .

But do not suppose , because you have magis u trates , that therefore it will entail expense p on you . There are individuals who will be proud to be nominated , and will be glad to be mayor or aldermen , free of expense to you , for the honour you will thus confer upon them . This is the dis t inét ion between a popular government and our present one . We had to drag our present worthy borough reeve to the office he holds . a s a v iét im to the sacrifice ; B ra dforda nd while in Liverpool , Leeds , Hull , , f other large towns , the candidates for the o fice 74 of councillors went i nto the streets and lanes s with their hat off asking for votes . I s there

no advantage , apart from the pounds , shillings , V and pence iew of the matter , in the poor man “ having the power of saying, That mayor ,

those aldermen , and these councillors and magistrates are my appointment ” ? I s there nothing in that calculated to raise men from being under the bad advice of others—to place them above those who call themselves their

leaders , and who would treacherously deceive them ? That will bring men together with those who will advise them better ; thus raising our whole town to a wholesome state ; taking those viétims out of the power of interested leaders , and giving them the power to lead and govern

themselves . (Loud cheering . ) Yes , I trust it

is the last time , at such a meeting as this , that

leaders , such as I have described , will come here , pretending to represent the interests of the

people . (Hear . ) I trust your own officers ,

when appointed , will serve you gratis , as is

the case at Leeds , Liverpool , H ull , and other

large towns . It is not theory or speculation , the thing has been tried ; and I appeal to the example of upwards of two hundred towns in

the kingdom , from none of which has there A ét been one complaint of the Corporation , 75 except from the Tories . The people univers ally have been satisfied with their officers ; and , moreover , let me add , the mayor an d aldermen of Manchester, if chosen by the a people , will rank as high as any baronet , y, or lord . There is but one appointment that — will necessarily be a salaried offi ce that of

- town . clerk . Your treasurer , your assessors ,

councilmen , aldermen , mayor, and magis trates will all be happy and proud to serve

you for nothing , and will besiege you for your

votes too . I say, give your town clerk a salary , ’ 6 8 don t let him have fees to the amount of , ,

or a year . Give him a sufficient ’

salary , and you will save from another lawyer s

office , that I need not name , a year by the appointment of town clerk ; for you will then have the surplus fees paid over to your borough fund as in Stockport ; and they will go towards diminishing and meeting those expenses to which you have hitherto been sub d d j eét e . But we are tol there is to be a quarter ’ session here . I say , no such thing . We don t ask for a quarter session ; we ask only for the A di Corporation . I f you afterwards wish to

have a quarter session , you can then ask for it ; but there is no more need to have a quar

ter session , because you have a Corporation 76

fill all offices . I n St . Albans there are only twelve or sixteen councillors ; and probably f three or four aldermen , and it is very di ficult

to choose rich men there who are not Tories . I n Manchester there would be no such diffi

culty, because up to this time the most useful party in this town have been excluded from all places of honour on account of their prin c iple s ; and many of them the most useful and

the most successful in business , because they

happen to be dissenters , are rigidly excluded ,

from that viler motive , because they dissent ’ from the Church for conscience sake . I s it not monstrous that you have never been suffered to have a Catholic , an I ndependent , a Baptist , M eth odis t to a Unitarian , or a be your borough reeve ? Why ? Because he goes to chapel in f stead o to church to worship his Maker . Even to this day the Test A 8: is virtually ex istin . sa g in all its force in Manchester I y, therefore , that you will have a wider range . Even amongst your richest men you will find liberal men , and therefore , though I abhor the property qualification i n councilmen , that will be no barrier here to your elect ing faithful stewards . I n the case of magistrates the poor est mechanic may be e leét edto s it upon the bench ; and I hope to s e e men from humble 78 ranks , merely by the force of talent and charac ter, raise themselves to sit upon the j ustice seat , and administer justice . By the courtesy of the chairman , and the rules of public meet O ings , I shall have an pportunity of saying a

few words at the close of these proceedings .

I will , therefore , only now entreat the friends of the Corporation A ét not to le t themselves be tired out by mere talk , and then run away

to their dinners . I hope every man who has the good of Manchester at heart will remain

here to the end of these proceedings . I may be followed by persons utterly ignorant of the s ub eét j before us ; but you will hear them . If A 61 they will go through the , and explain it ,

and talk of it only , then I will beg their par don and admit I have charged them wrong

fully . But if they come here to rave about

Canada , to rail about the Dorchester labourers , or to scream about the new Poor Law—(laugh —if ter , hisses , and cheers) they should talk about everything but the s u bj eét in hand (Elijah Dixon screamed “ Same as yow do ”) I know not the individual who seems to take this to himself ; but you will judge for your

selves . The police commissioners of some out townships may wish to represent to this meet ing that their constituents are opposed to this 79 measure ; but I happen to know that the ma j ority of housekeepers in the out- townships A ét . are in favour of the Corporation False , “ Yes , and No . If they are opposed to it , I s o will declare , on my honour , that , far as I am

concerned , I will not force them to join us .

But we shall go from house to house , and take the signatures ; we shall not take the word of o w h o any p lice commissioner, comes here s a his without his regiment , to y that township i ' is unanimously resolved to oppose t . But what are the obj eétions that the smaller num ber in the out -townships raise to this measure ? They sa y that we shall be riding over Chorl ton - ou - Medlock ; that we shall be governing

. f H ulme . Nothing of the kind We of er them a fair and free partnership ; and if they are oI n afraid to j us , it must be either because they think themselves great si mpletons , or us very clever fellows . But the chance is fair for all ; and we shall not tyrannize over them . But th ls Is S i lly opposition in another point of C horl view . Taking the principal streets of -on- nine o f ton M edlock , their inhabitants out of every ten are the inhabitants of Manchester - n- o . by day, and of Chorlton Medlock by night

(Hear , hear . ) Then , can there be anything more preposterous than that their little great 80

but he did come there for the purpose of taking power out of the hands of a party to put it

into the hands of the people ; and , if he did not think the Corporation A ét would not be of great use to the town , he should be the last man

to support it . (Hear . ) He had no personal interest in the question ; no desire or ambition

to become either common councilman , alder Ina n ' or , mayor ; but he did desire to see the people of Manchester having the power of f h choosing their own o ficers , and t at these officers should no longer be the nominees of

any individual . He should have great pleasure os se s s in the A ét in M anchester p g , becauseevery le a er yp y , however humble , would have as much power in e leéting as the richest inhabit ’ I t a dt c ant . was no Sturges Bourne s , no bri ks against brains ; but intelligence in the poor going hand in hand with intelligence in the

rich . He confessed he did not know much of the affairs of the out- townships ; he believed the people of Hulme were exceedingly dis sa tis fi “ e d a ét . with their police . No and Yes

Why, there , if a man was assessed at a certain s u m , he was a police commissioner by right , in V irtue of that assessment , without going to the e leétion the people for at all . Was that sort of qualification for the people ? No ; and he must 8 2 declare it would surprise him , after labouring and talking so much about household suffrage ,

[if] those men , who always professed to be great patriots , should come forward , calling them Of s o selves the friends the people , and yet be inconsistent as to oppose household suffrage . He knew that sometimes the people might happen to eleét those whom they ought not to e leét : but if they chose any one of this sort they would soon come to their senses , and they A et could then , under the Corporation , soon get rid of them . For these reasons the resolution s had his cordial support . (Cheer )

M r . James Taylor addressed the meeting at some length , declaring himself the represent ative of the ratepayers of Chorlton - upon -Med

- lock , and complaining that the out townships had not been treated fairly in calling this meet ing at so short a notice . He was an enemy to the incorporation of Manchester, feeling con fide nt that it was merely sought after for a party purpose , and that it would be the means of increasing taxation , creating useless and ex f pensive o fices , such as recorder, town clerk , treasurer, constables , and such other offices as an irresponsible body might , for interested purposes , think proper to appoint . If the rate payers of Chorlton -upon - Medlock considered 83 for a moment that the proposed bill would be

mutually advantageous , or that it would not a ét ua ll be yinjurious to themselves , he , as their

representative , would not be found opposing it .

Mr . James Wroe delivered himself of an

harangue more than usually long , prosy and ’ Cobde ns tedious . He called M r . assertions a

bundle of fallacies , which he felt himself called

ntra dicft b . to co . o eét upon The j of M r Cobden ,

and of those with whom he stood , was to ride ’ - Wroe s rough shod over his (Mr . ) party, and ,

in doing so , over the people . What was the bill to do ? To transfer the management of the

town from its present possessors , or those who were (as things now stood) eligible to become

- so , to sixty four wiseacres of the new school . What was the grand boon looked for by those persons now so a étive in seeking for incorpora ? a d tion Why, the chance of being hereafter va ncedto the dignity of Mayor of Manchester . ? Could M r . Cobden or any of his party deny it

Mr . Wroe then proceeded to argue that the e ffeét proposed bill would , if carried into , grind

down the working classes , increase the taxation s ix in a ratio from to ten , and become to Manchester the greatest curse that ever was infliéted on it . A more detestable , treacherous

system never was propounded . Mr . Cobden 84

to order by the chair, but declared that he would not be put down by the meeting or by any cowardly assassin . ) He then proceeded to enlarge on the powers given under the new A ét to corporate bodies , and told the meet

ing, in the event of this town being saddled ’ by this infamous Corporation A Ct with a o may r , aldermen , and council , they (the people) would have no power to prevent themselves f being robbed . Those corporate o ficers could not be resisted in levying such taxes as they might think fit to an unlimited extent . He wished to know where Mr . Cobden obtained his wisdom ; he might come there swaggering W in his ealth , but that was no proof of his wisdom , and he told him that he had none . ’ Wroe s (Mr . speech , which contained much inveét ive more personal than argument , was frequently interrupted by the chairman and meeting calling him to order , and to keep to the question . ) I n conclusion , he moved the following amendment : “ That this meeting protests against this second attempt to force upon the people of this borough a ne na ét me nt to provide for the regula tion of municipal corporation in England and Wales ; such bill not beingcongenial to the feel ings , or adequate to the wants of the inhabitants 86 of the town of Manchester or the borough ; and

. O as it is the pinion of this meeting , that the leypa ye rs should partake of equal eligibility

nt . in all local e na étme s . (Cheers and groans )

M r . Edward Nightingale said he felt great pleasure in contemplating the glorious majority by which they would , at that meeting, turn the - Whigs to the right about , and defeat their base attempt to foist on the people of Man chester , for their own purposes , the infernal and detestable corporation bill . He called upon the people not to be deluded by the vicious

Whigs , whose tools were the promoters of this ob ecft meeting . He warned them that their j s were to crush the rising liberties of Man chester, to commit robbery by taxation , and to coerce and keep down the people . Although the corporation proposed could not be re s triét e d in drawing money from the pockets of the working man , and although neither could they, in any manner, be compelled to account for the expenditure of such money , yet they had it not in their power to pass even a bye- law without submitting it for approval to the King in council . So much , then , he said , for the democracy boasted of on the other side . He the ntou chedonthe Regulation A ct and the new

Poor Law, and was repeatedly called to order . 87 ’ Cobdns I n reply to Mr . e observation that

no dissenter ever held office in Manchester ,

. Mr Nightingale named Messrs . Bannerman ,

Barbour, and Lees . He said the intended corporation had their officers already a p

pointed . For their mayor , M r. Intelligence

was a quality not essential ; but Mr . Breeches

Pocket was indispensable , and they had there M r fore chosen . Thomas Potter. (Cries of “ ” “ question , question , and order, from the

chairman and the meeting . ) H e called on the men of Manchester to resist the tyranny of the

bloated rich , and to trust not to the truckling ,

vile , base , bloody, and brutal Whigs , but to range themselves fearlessly under the banner

of liberty, and fight for their just rights .

M r . Prentice , on coming forward , was as

sailed by all the clamour of the Tory Radicals .

He said the simple question was , whether the government of this vast town should be in the

- hands of the rate payers at large, or of Sir Ni h i . t n Oswald Mosley . H e reminded M r g re duét ion gale of his motion for the of M r . ’ Lavender s salary, which had been negatived under Sturges Bourne ’ s Bill by persons recording votes , and yet Mr . Nightingale came , five years afterwards , to contend that the ’ present system , with Sturges Bourne s voting,

0 o o 3 house ; while before Mr . Wr e c uld sit as a police commissioner his assessment (not the annual value of the house) must be £2 8 ; and of 6 a publican , £5 . The number of persons quali fi ed A ét under the Corporation , to be common councilmen , would be double the number now qualified to be commissionersof police . Were the affairs of this town still to be in the hands ? of Sir Oswald Mosley Why , on one occasion , the steward of the Lord of the Manor had a ét u a ll gathered together a jury, when it was —y found that some of them were men of liberal opinions . A deputation was immediately sent to Rolleston Hall to represent the danger of allowing such men to be on the j ury . The chaise ext ra ordin returned post haste , with this very ary determination on the part of the Lord of the Manor : that his steward had exceeded his duty in nominating a single liberal man upon the jury . The steward was discharged then and there ; another was appointed in his place ; and the j ury were dismissed , before the Bible was put into their hands , as being unworthy fu néti ns to perform their o . And for the sake of this man , who drew and perhaps considerably more from the town of Man chester , the greater part of it he (Mr . P . ) i htin believed unjustly , Mr . Wroe , Mr . N g 90 w gale , and M r . Dixon came for ard to protest A ét against the Corporation . (Messrs . Wroe and Nightingale again endeavoured to inter rupt the speaker, and to harangue the meeting ; but they were not allowed to do s o. ) As to the f o fice of town clerk , if he were an attorney he should be glad to pay a year to have f the o fice and take the fees . As to the alleged a cor ora t ion great expense of p , he would remind the meeting that under the present system they had a Town Hall which had cost and it had scarcely a room in it fit for public meet r ings . But at any rate it was ready for the e ce ptionof the officers chosen by the people ; and he would prophesy that we should not have a corporation six months before the police com missioners would , by their vote , transfer this

Town Hall to the new corporation . He did not s a yth a t the Corporation A ct was perfect ; but the choice was between it , with a broad and widely ’ extended suffrage , and Sir Oswald Mosley s government without any suffrage at all . Elijah Dixon said he belonged to a town ship which contained a greater population than many of the i ncorporated towns in England . That township was Newton ; and in Newton they were peaceable , and could manage their f own a fairs . They required no incorporation 9 1 with Manchester ; but , on the contrary, they

one and all opposed it . He denounced the bill ,

- not as democratic , but infernal ; not as bad as ’

a ct . Sturges Bourne s , but as far worse To concodt this bill the devil had ransacked his

brains , and no doubt felt proud of his bantling . ’ (Cries from the crowd , Don t screech , and “ What are you talking about ? He pro phe s iedthat this bill would dissolve society ; and declared that the reported tyranny of the d Lord of the Manor was all fu ge , and not

deserving of attention . H e proceeded for some

time in a similar strain , and concluded amidst “ “ loud calls of Question and Order .

Mr . Cobden rose to reply, but gave way to D ea ns a te Mr . James Barrow, of g , who mounted the table and continued to talk for some time without any one being able to hear what he

thought fit to say . At length , at the repeated n d I s d es te . request of the Chairma , he H eelis M r . Stephen (solicitor) said that A et according to the Corporation , no one could

vote who was not the occupier of a warehouse , - - o counting house , dwelling h use , or shop ; and f therefore , as he only occupied an o fice , though he paid sufficient rates to have a share in the

present municipal government of this place , he A ’ should have no vote under the Corporation ét . 92 have felt a little at a loss to have discovered the precise ta étics of the other but Mr .

~ H e Doherty had let the cat out of the bag .

(Mr . Cobden) had charged the opponents of the Corporation A ét with ignorance and the h a d during the discussion y_ well earned

their right to the term . He would not say that

M r . Doherty had been hired to speak , though his name was at the foot of one of the placards put forth against the Corporation A ét ; but “ ’ sa ? what did Mr . Doherty y We ll have this ” matter delayed . Why had the meeting been so detained to late an hour, but that the other party might go out and drum up their recruits ?

Delay was what was sought ; and he (Mr . Cob den) had seen signals made by well -dressed rot ra ét ion men , and as much p and delay as

possible on the part of the speakers , so that the friends of the cause of good municipal government had great reason to be grateful to those present who had stood out that weary

day , and listened to such floods of nonsense .

(Laughter and cheers . ) Why were we to wait to see how Birmingham liked the Corporation A et ? - - n Liverpool , Newcastle upon Ty e , and a hundred and fifty other large towns had cor pora tions ; and after an experience of two years the people of these towns universally were 94 satisfied with them . The opponents of this measure called themselves radical reformers . He was a radical reformer too ; and if they set t up for radical reformers , he would ell them w that they did not kno their business . Why , the corporations of H ull and Newcastle had sent petitions from their town councils for uni versal suffrage , vote by ballot , and triennial parliaments ; and those of Dumfries and Dun

dee had sent petitions for universal suffrage , shortening of parliaments , and the ballot . H e called the Birmingham Political Union a radi cal association , and it had declared for the

Corporation A ét . If they looked at the public ” “ press of the town The Guardian , The ” “ ” Times a nd , The Advertiser , had all declared for a corporation . Who , then , were they that advocated the old system ? One individual had talked of having a motion at the commis s ione rs of police board for an extension of the suffrage . Why , he knew he might as well ask for the sun to come out and shine at midnight ; and yet he opposed the Corporation A ét with household suffrage . He was sure the meeting would not be carried away by appeals to their fears as to the expense of such corporation baubles as maces , cloaks , and chains ; such things were gone by, and would never be 95 tolerated in Manchester ; and as to these things , - mace bearers and dinners , the Corporation

A ct was intended to put an end to them all . They had been told that dissenters had been promoted to the offi ce of b orough reeve . Per haps one individual or two of the established Church of Scotland ; but he asked any one to give him an instance of a Catholic , an I nde a pendent , Baptist , a Unitarian , or a Me thodist having been appointed to that office . He should be but mocking the intelligence of the meeting if he were to attempt to answer , not the arguments , but the ravings of the other ’ side . He looked upon the result of this day s meeting as a glorious one ; for now the men who pretended to be radical reformers would be obliged to become rational radicals if they wished to keep their name . He called upon

‘ le a ers va lu edth e ir the yp y , as they political m freedo , to lend a hand in promoting a meas

ure which was not merely a step , but a mighty s tride in the progress of freedom . Those who loved liberty of conscience would vote for the measu—re ; and those who were afraid of the people those who , under whatever pretence ,

kept the people down , either that they might u trample on them , or pretend to lift them p -I w a would oppose it . t s the rule for the 96

minority on both motions ; and I am bound conu nétion to say, in j with the opinion of my

a . colleagues , that the origin l motion is carried

(I mmense cheering . )

M r . Alexander Kay moved the appointment of a committee to carry the resolution into ff e eét . M r . W . R . Callender said that as an inhabitant for fourteen years of Chorlton -on Medlock and a retiring police commissioner t of that ownship , having seen the great in f a rticu e ficiency of some of its departments , p la rl m y the watch co mittee , of which their worthy friend , M r . James Taylor, was chair

man (hear) , he had great pleasure in second

ing the resolution . It passed with about half

a dozen dissentients . b orou h re eve The g having left the chair , and

M r . John Ferguson , senior constable of Man

chester, having been called thereto , M r . Cob den moved the cordial thanks of the meeting to the borough reeve for his very handsome and c nduét equitable o in the chair . The motion

was carried with acclamation . The borough

reeve , in acknowledging the vote , said he had

only done his duty . H e had endeavoured , to condudt im wards both sides , to himself as his partially , as judgement would allow ; and if he had erred he could assure them it was 98 only through misapprehension . He hoped that the proceedings of this day would redound hereafter to the benefit and advantage of the town . (Cheers)

Three cheers were then given for Mr . Cob W den ; three groans were proposed for Mr . roe, but Mr . Cobden and his friends called out

No , no , and the attempt was abandoned . ’ The proceedings terminated about threeo clock , having lasted four hours and a half, during which the great bulk of the leypa ye rs were kept standing . ’ Such is the contemporary journalist s record of this meeting . Some of the speakers in op position to the proposed Charter , men like

James Wroe and Elijah Dixon , had rendered good service to the popular cause in other direét ions s ub eét , but on this j were hopelessly prej udiced .

M r. Edward Nightingale was the landlord of ” A n the General Abercromby liquor vaults , O coats , and was a master of irrelevant ratory , who did not apparently think it was any dis advantage that one portion of a speech should cont ra di ion be in flat ét to another . Such men are invaluable in the art of gutter politics , and are of unspeakable disadvantage when they attach themselves to a good cause . 99

N addition to the Town Hall meeting in a Manchester, others were held in v rious - r out townships with va ying results . At some the Corporators were successful and at r others theyw e e defeated . The amenities of life — - inChorltononMedlock were illustrated in a speech by Mr . William Romaine Callender . Replyingtothe a s se rtionthat theirpolicesystem was efficient he mentioned the case of a rate payer whose house was robbed , and who had called every day from Monday to Friday at the Chorlton police office before he could get the f assistance of an o ficer . Another householder had been robbed by thieves who escaped into Manchester and he had then to appeal to the M a nchester police byw homtheyw ere u ltima tely apprehended . Whilst one of the deputy con stables was obtaining signatures against incor ora tion p , a house was robbed and no police officers could be found at the Town Hall : a child was found dead in the street but no placards were posted for the deteét ionof the culprit who remained unpunished . A man who had received money for the watering of Downing Street had absconded , and the commissioners had to send to M r . Aaron Nodal to ask him how the matter deteéte d stood . A shopkeeper a thief in the a ft but though he sent to the Ardwick and 1 02 also to the Chorlton police offices he could not

obtain an officer and the thief was released . The watchmen in the neighbourhood of Plymouth Grove were frequently found asleep ’ within the porch of M r . Callender s house and his departing guests had sometimes to step

over these vigilant guardians of the peace . On one occa s ionthe superintendent found one

there and took away his staff, lantern , and hat

without awakening him . Several of these Dog berries coming off their rounds ” in Oxford Road quarrelled and fought as to the custody 1 u of a large pin that one of them was picking p .

There was , however, in some breasts a n ge uine fear of a Municipal Corporation . One

of the horrified churchwardens , M r . Richard

. M P Gould , wrote to Mr Mark Philips , . . , asking w hythe member for Manchester had affixed his signature to a petition for a Corporation Char “ te r w hich would have a baneful influence upon

the peace , and upon the morals , and upon the general prosperity of this commercial com

munity . Cobden was one of the stewards for the celebration of the first birthday of Queen Vic toria after her accession . This . was celebrated

a nche ste r ua r a n 2 th e rua r 1 8 8. M G di , 4 F b y , 3 ' I bzd 1 8th 8 r 1 8. , Ap il , 3 1 1 8 8 7th M ay , 3 , by a procession and public dinner presided over by Mr . John Brown , the borou h re v O ne g e e . of a multitude of toasts “ . was that of Sir Oswald Mosley , the Lord of the Manor of Manchester, and in proposing “ it the borough reeve said he should not be fo sorry when we abandoned him , r he thought ” the time was now come for a change . This was a significant evidence of the public feeling on the s u bj eét . Meanwhile the petition for incorporation l oth 1 8 8 was being signed and on March , 3 , Cobden proceeded by railway to London and was joined on Monday by Mr . William Neild .

The petition , a sheet nearly one hundred yards in length , bore signatures , and was deposited at the Privy Council Office . The Anti—Corporators replied by a petition which was said to have signatures . The petition for incorporation having been 2 1 8 1: presented to the Privy Council March , 1 8 8 3 , it was ordered to be taken into considera tion on I st May . The commissioners to inquire into the con tending petitions arrived in Manchester on 2 th 1 8 8 4 May , 3 , and took up their abode in oine d the York Hotel , which then adj the Town

Hall . Captain J . Jebb and M r . Alexander 1 04 they gave information to the Corporators of the way in which the opposition petition was ma nu fa ét u red being . That the art of petition ing was well understood came out in some statements as to a canvasser named Ains worthy . H e war a weety leetle man , said a witness , he could set down and write names , a for y, an hour or two ; he never wanted — ’ nother direét ory nor nought he d do it aw ! ’ from memory like . Poor fellow he s dead , and it wur that petition as kilt him . Asked to explain he said that after the sheets had been sent into the Conservative office it was reported that there would be an inquiry, and Ainsworth had a letter to s a y that he must be prepared to prove the genuineness of the ” signatures . He towd me , solemnly averred ’ - the moist eyed witness , that he war i trouble and couldna face it . He didna know wheer to ’ find th names . They had no houses ; how could they when he made them aw from his ? ’ own yed He ne er looked up after , but he drank ’ w i sore of rum , and what fear and spirits , he ’ ’ took t is bed and died , and it wur nought but that petition as kilt him . The “ witty little man ” was in debt to the extent of fifty shillings , and he induced his

a nch e ster ua rda n 2 rd une 1 8 8 M G i , 3 J , 3 . 1 06 creditor to fill up seventeen sheets with names , on the understanding that the debt was to be liquidated by the money paid for these addi “ tions to the petition . The witty little man

obtained the money , but did not pay , and the s o angry creditor threatened an exposure , and the Anti -Corporators had to pay twice over for

these signatures . Such was the story current ,

and believed to be true . An attempt to prove similar pra étice s on the part of the Corporators

failed . A witness who was induced to come into the room turned tail before he had an sw e re da s in le g question , and ran away followed Flintoff by M r . Thomas , who failed to bring ‘ him back . After the conclusion of the inquiry he was brought to Captain Jebb ’ s lodgings in

“ he e r ua r a n 2 2nd une 1 8 o i a nc st 8 . e n n M G di , J , 3 C bd , ’ ” a e tte r t o a m a t th e u she r of a t s a a z ne l Willi T i , p bli T i M g i , gi ve s a g ra ph i c imp re s s i onof th e st ruggle for t he M uni c ipa l “ Ch a rte r : Wh e n y ou r forme r kinda ndfri e ndly l e tt e r re a c he d me I w a s e nga gedbe fore the Commi ss ione rs e m pl oy e d ine xpos ing th e t ri ck e ry of t he Tori es inge tt ing up on a a nst th e nc or ora t on of our orou h th e i r pe ti ti g i I p i B g . For th re e w e e k s I w a s ince ssa nt ly occ upie d a t the Tow n a nt of h a rdw or a nds ome e e nse w e ot a t H ll . By di k x p g th e fi l th inth e i r A uge a ns ta bl e a ndl a idth e i r di rt y doings r th e u c e e e e ve now th e re is tt e ou t of be fo e p bli y . I b li li l d b our b e ing c h a rte re dbe fore th e ne xt N ove mbe r e leftions a nd it w ill b e a ne w e ra for M a nch e ste r w h e nit s h a ke s off th e fe uda l live ry of Sir Osw a ld M osl e y to p ut onthe d e mocra ti c 1 07 Mosley Street , where he made statements and

denied them with equal rapidity , and on being confronted with the Corporator whom he had Of accused joining him in the forgery of names , he recanted the accusation and had a pressing engagement which led him once more to make

for the street . Several persons whose evidence

a r of th e u nc a e orm o m ort a n d con g b M i ip l R f A ft. S i p t o I s ide r the ste p for incorpora t ing th e Borough th a t I h a ve ee nnc e ssa nt e n a e da t the ta s for th e a st six month s b i ly g g k l . “ I be ga n by w riting a l e tte r of w h i ch I c i rcu l a te dfi ve thousa ndcopi e s w ith a vi e w of ga ining th e Ra dica l s by ’ show n the o u a r rov s ons of th e A ét ou cr dt i g p p l p i i . Will y e i it ? Th e low bl a c kgua rdl e a de rs of th e Ra di ca ls j oine d w ith the Torie s a ndoppose d us ! Th e poor la w l una t i cs ra i sed th e i r dementedy e ll a ndw e w e re me na c e d w i th nothing but n n o de e a t a nda nh a t on a t th e u c me e t . w e ve r f i il i p bli i g H , w e se nt a c i rc u l a r t o e ve ry one of th e £1 0 pa rlia me nt a ry e leét ors w ho su ort e ra me n c a n u onthe m t o a id pp lib l , lli g p us a t th e u c me e t n a ndthe c a me orw a rdto our p bli i g , y f h da Tw o or h r e of r scue Th e sh o oc ra c ca rr e dt e . t e e . p y i y th e Tory Ra dic a l l e a de rs now e nte re dthe se rvi ce of the Torie s w ith a Vi e w t o obta inthe s igna t ure of the ir fe llow s t o a pe t it iona ga inst incorpora t ion: th e y pre te nde d to get upw a rds of thi rty th ousa ndna me s for w h ich the y w e re w e ll pa id ; b ut th e s c rutiny h a s show n th a t four-fi fth s w e re s o much for th e unho a a nce of or a nd forge rie . S ly lli T y Ra dic a l ! I me nt iona ll thi s a s my be st e x c use for not h a v h a ing w rittento you or for you for so ma ny month s . W t w ith going tw i ce to London on de put a t ions a ndfi gh ting th e b a ttl e w ith tw o e x t reme polit i ca l pa rtie s inM a nch e st e r [ h a ve bee nso const a ntly e nga ge d ina étionth a t I ha ve not ” o c h a dt ime for the ori z ing upona ny t pi . 1 08 payers , in order to test the validity of the sig 2 th natures . They left Manchester 5 Septem

ber, and on the following day the agent for the Corporators had word that the Charter would be forwarded as soon a s the great seal had

been attached . At last the Charter was sealed and forwarded

to Mr . William Neild as chairman of the Comm ittee by whom the petition had been pre it pared . He submitted to a meeting of the 2 th Oét ober 1 8 8 Committee , 5 , 3 , and by their ir i ns w a s deét o it placed in the hands of Mr .

David Price , who was named in it as the per of s onwho should prepare the list voters . Mr . borou h ree ve John Hyde , the g , was appointed f returning O ficer .

1 1 0 C HAPTER VI I . TH E C HARTER

CO NTESTED . H E Tories and Radicals combined to rej eét candidates for the office of com missioners of police who were thought

to be favourable to incorporation , and by the secrecy and generalship of their a étionthey eleét ion succeeded in the , which took place in the week following that on which the Charter

was received in Manchester . r The e was a lively newspaper controversy . deteéted M r . John Edward Taylor thought he in a leading article of the Manchester Chron

icle the fine Roman hand of Mr . James

Crossley , and replied in pungent terms in the

Manchester Guardian . M r . Crossley sent a

friend for an explanation , which Mr . Taylor

refused unless Mr . Crossley would definitely

disavow these articles . M r . Crossley declined , 1 but sent again a messenger , 7th November , 1 8 8 3 , bearing a challenge to a duel . The Editor of the “ Manchester Guardian had the good

sense to decline this invitation , and the corre s ondnc p e e was then published by M r . Crossley with the belated declaration that he was not in any way responsible for the attack in the

Manchester Chronicle . Amongst other rea M r t sons . Taylor smilingly alleged , hat whilst

Mr . Crossley was a bachelor he was a married

man with a family, and had heavy insurances 1 1 2

’ a d it ' Ou t a nd m a ll th a t were fairly made . The

work was proceeding when M r . Crossley came

into the room , and presenting a folded paper to “ Mr . Rushton , said , I beg to hand you a pro t ” test against the legality of the Char er . M r . Rushton And against my j u ris diétion? “ t s ir Against your j urisdic ion , . M r . Rushton

rejoined , Well , sir , without the slightest wish t to trea you with any discourtesy, I can only s a y to you , as Lord Ellenborough once said ‘ on a similar occasion , You must protest , and

then go your way . The protest merely stated ros s le re r se nte d that those whom M r . C y p e were “ advised that such Charter is altogether in

valid , but did not set forth the grounds of o objection . M r . Rushton began his revisi n on N O Wednesday and ended it on Friday, 3oth vember , The first Municipal E leétionwas held 1 4th 1 8 8 December, 3 . I n pursuance of the policy of not recognizing the validity of the Charter

the Tories did not put forward candidates , and used their influence to prevent any votes being

1 Rushtonis understoodt o h a ve d ra fte d th e M u ni c ip a l ” ra ons ft e m a r 1 or o t A . e tte rs of a 0 . C p i L T pl , 9 3, p A l e tte r re fe rring t o h is procee dings a s Re vi s ing B a rri ster is 2 2 h b u ow n to its a c of a te ve na t . of t a t oo t gi p 9 b k , i g l k d is ron a ce u n e r 1 8 6 w gly pl d d 3 . 1 1 4

I R H E R KT W K S E O . JOS PH N , , FIRST TO N CLER OF 8 M 1 . M ANCHESTER . FRO PHOTOGRAPH CIRCA 77 given . The only contest was in New Cross - re Ward , where the ultra Radicals could not sist the O pportunity of a fight and were hand 1 s omely beaten . On the following day ( 5th s e leét e d December) the Aldermen were , and ’ Mr . Cobden from Councillor for St . Michael s

Ward , became Alderman for Medlock Street

. Ward At a private meeting , when the claims of M r . Potter and Mr . Neild for the mayoralty onl a werevoted upon , M r . Potter had y majority

of one , but it was then decided to make his elec

tion unanimous . Cobden , who had proposed

M r . Neild at the caucus , now placed M r . Pot ter ’ s name before the Council and bewas at once l The nomina tionofth Tow n lerk e eéted. e C . , M r

Joseph Heron , was also made by Cobden . The Tory- Radical combination still refused a to acknowledge the Charter . The Council p plied for the use of the Town Hall for their

meetings . The commissioners of police held th 1 8 a special meeting 9 January , 39 , to con

sider this momentous question , and discussed

1 1 a m . m it from to p , when after vehe ment and “ eloquent ” speeches in opposition 2 the accommodation was refused by 1 0 2 to 9 . The result was attained in the usual manner by addition of S ix Radical votes to those of

the Tories . The most discreditable ridicule was poured upon the Corporation in a continual stream of abuse and vituperation . Thus M r . William Read at the annual meeting of the commis s ione rs Oétob e r 1 8 : of police , 3oth , 39 , observed “ The whole of the affair has originated in

dire ét . , base , political motives Jobbery , jobbery

ever has been and is identical with whiggery , ’ whiggery ; and if I may be permitted to parody s a the words of M ilton , I would y of whiggery , that it is :

ob fi rst ob a st ob m st a ndw th out e nd J , j l , j id i .

A letter was read at the second quarte rly 6th 1 8 meeting of the Council , February, 39 , from Lord John Russell , intimating that he had recommended the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to appoint as magistrates the whole of the gentlemen nominated by the on . e Council There was name added , that of Mr - . re Daniel Lee , a well known and highly ‘ s ecte d p Roman Catholic merchant . The names included that of Richard Cobden .

Rival bodies of overseers were appointed . e l e d The Council eét M r . James Chapman f to the o fice of Coroner . Mr . Rutter the

1 I nthe sa me s e e ch Mr e a m n n p . R d e tio e d Cobde na s the ” re a t a uthor a nda the r of th e ncor ora t onsche me g f i p i . 1 1 6 s ione r b e was to sworn before two of , the borough magistrates , and the power of the various townships for the levying of police rates was to cease , and any separate police forces were to cease during the continuance A ét w a s of the . The police rate under the bill i ht e nce in limited to e g p the pound . Against this r - bill the To y Chartist union petitioned , and the Du ke of Wellington and Lord Brougham 1 were primed with material for use in debate . This anarchical policy was persisted in as s o long as it was possible to do . Thus the Manchester C hronicle referred to “ those towns unhappily a ffl iét edwith Whig Corpora “ is tions , and rejoiced that Manchester yet happily exempt from the incu hus of a Corpora ” tion . This was of course written on the a s sumption that the Charter was invalid “ We s a dare y, continues the able Editor, Sir

Thomas Potter , Mr . William Neild , and the other gentlemen who amuse themselves with playing at Aldermen and Councillors , enter t a inedeach other with some mimic ceremonies on the general municipal anniversary ; but then ’ child s play can interest no one but themselves , ”2 and we forbear to intrude upon their pastimes .

1 ’

a nsa r s e a te s 1 th u ust 1 8 . H d D b , 9 A g , 39 1

th ove m e r 1 8 0. 4 N b , 4

1 The validity of the Charter was affirmed by the Court of Exchequer Chamber , after pro nd 1 8 1 t ra éteda r u me nt on2 2 . g , February , 4 Mr . Rutter threatened an appeal to the House of a t Lords . This was not persisted in , but an tempt was made to introduce special Man che ste rcompe ns a tionclauses into the Criminal f Justice Bill . The ef orts of M r . Wilson Patten to settle the matter by this side wind , excited 1 much indignation and ended in failure . Sir - Frederick Pollock , then Attorney General , advised the overseers of the various townships that the Charter must be presumed to be valid “ until upset by the House of Lords , which he thought it would not be . This was in Feb 8 2 ru a r 1 . y, 4 The opposition to the Charter had become a mere question of the compensation to be paid to the dispossessed County officials . ‘ The A ct to confirm the incorporation of cer tain boroughs and to indemnify such persons as have sustained loss thereby was passed in 1 8 2 August , 4 . M r . W . S . Rutter in the end

2 s . 8d an annuity of £ 774 . M r . os 1 0 Robert John Harper claimed . d.

1 A d e puta tionfrom th e M a nche ste r Tow n Counc il c ir cula t e da mongs t me mb e rs of p a rli a me nt a s ta te me nt of th e i r ob e ftiont o h nsa t on a us h s i j t e c ompe i c l es . T i s printed inthe “ ” a nche s te r ua rda n 2 8th r 1 8 1 M G i , Ap il , 4 . 1 1 9 8s 6 . and received an annuity of £ . M r Oswald - M ilne , the main spring of the opposition to d 2s 6 . re the Charter, claimed . and — ceive d nothing ! The litigation over the Com pe nsa tion clauses lasted until the end of the 8 summer of 1 44 .

We were three years at that work , Cobden “ a t said , a later period , and at one time he N [ eild] was out of pocket , and I was 00 800 between £7 and £ deficient , but we got the Charter I n the Charter ’ s defence it was necessary to give the bank a bond for 1 and of this s u m Cobden guaranteed £500

1 o ton e a nch este r w a s ove rne a ourt e et B l , lik M , g d by C L , a ndth e ne ce ss it y for a ch a nge w a s thought t o be e ve nmore u r e nt th e re t h a ninth e a r e r tow n Th e ma tte r w a s dis g l g . c uss e din r va te o de n h oma s ott e r e or e son p i by C b , T P , G g Wil , nr h r a . . e r a nd e s w o th r va t e a rt w a s H . e t J C Dy , y A A p i p y fi rs t h e lda ndthe na pu bli c me e t ing w a s c a ll e d a nda pe tition for c M r sh or h a n w o th e rs n or ora n a do te . w t dt o i p tio p d . A re se nte dthe e t t on t h e ra e r of w h ch a te r a n nve st p p i i , p y i , f i i a tion w a s ra nte dnotw th s ta n n the o os t onof the g , g , i di g pp i i a r of ra or w h o w a s th e ordof th e a nor of re a t E l B df d, L M G n r n h ordof h a nor of o to a ndof M . t e t e B l , Tippi g, L M M r a m tt e o ton w h ose v e w s w e re e ndorse . Li l B l , i d by Willi o n M P for th e orou h a ndb the o ton or e s B lli g, . . b g , y B l T i ne ra T n h r w a s ra nte th a rch e . he o to a rt e g lly B l C g d s M , 8 1 83 .

O B D E N presented to the first Mayor

of Manchester , Sir Thomas Potter , the gavel for use in regulating the proceedings of the Corporation . It passed into the possession of his son , Si r John Potter a

subsequent Mayor of Manchester , and on his t 1 8 dea h in 59 was presented by his brother, P . M . M r Thomas Bayley Potter , . , to the City

Council . I t is not now in u s e but is carefully

preserved in the Manchester Town Hall . When it w a s seen that the incorporators f must in the end win , a fairs moved more

rapidly . The powers of the commissioners of police under the various local a éts were trans e ferred to the Corporation which now , secur im in its legal position , began a long series of

proveme nts in the government of the town . Cobden remained a member of the Corpora th 1 8 eleétion tion until 9 November, 44 . H is to Parliament in 1 84 1 and the claims of the Free Trade movement hindered him from regu

lar attendance , but his name occurs frequently 2 2 in the earlier proceedings . H e attended out 2 of 3 meetings of the Council in the first year , 1 1 4 out of 3 in the second , 5 out of 7in the 1 third , was absent from 5 meetings in the 20 fourth year, from in the fifth year, and

attended 1 out of 23 meetings in the sixth year . 1 2 2

He was a member of the Town Council from 1 th 1 8 8 th N s December , 3 , until 9 ovember, } 1 844 ’ Of Cobde ns speeches in the Manchester Town Council one of the most important was that in which he moved the adoption of a petition in favour of the total and immediate

repeal of the Corn Laws . This speech , from the place in which it was delivered and the ’ s ub eét Cobde ns j to which it relates , symbolizes — career his services to the local community , 2 to the nation , and the world . The Manchester Corporation soon began to negotiate with the Lord of the Manor for the abolition of his feudal rights . The manor was 1 6 bought in 59 by Sir Nicholas Mosley, who paid for it , and he and his descendants enjoyed the revenue from the market tolls and 1 8 1 other jealously guarded rights . I n 9 there was an effort made to purchase the manor for the town and the sum of was named by the then Lord of the Manor as the price

1 “ These pa rt i cu la rs a re give nin Chroni c le of Ci ty Counc il rom Oétobe r 1 8 8 t o e te m e r a n a non mou s f , 3 , S p b , y r m son a nd r nte for re cordcom e M r. e o e , pil d by G g Si p p i d c cu a on p ri va te i r l ti . “ 1 I is re orte inthe a nch e ste r me s rd r t p d M Ti 3 Ap il ,

1 8 1 a ndw a s re r nt e a s a roa s e . 4 , p i d b d id ff he would accept . This e o rt failed and there was no renewal of the attempt until the in 1 8 corporation of the borough . In 45 the Town Council bought the manorial rights from Sir Oswald Mosley for H is receipts from the Manor were stated to be

. 1 Oétober yearly The Court Leet held 5th , 1 8 ex eét ed la s tView 45 , was p to be the of Frank

‘ Plede of g the Lord of the Manor, and Cobden , although he had ceased to be a member of t the Corporation , was specially selec ed to be

the u r . the Foreman of J y. When Mr Alexander e leéted Kay , the Mayor of Manchester, had been borou h re eve g , Mr . Cobden addressed the Court , and said “ that probably he Should not be con S ide re dby his fellow jurors as doing his duty if he allowed the present occasion to pass without expressing what he believed to be the feeling of the jury , their complete concurrence with the observations of the learned Steward and the great s a t is fa étionthey felt at the termina tion of the rights and privileges of this Court , which had lasted , he believed , for many cen tu rie s , and which was admirably suited to the times in which it was established , but which all parties admitted was quite unsuited to the requirements of the present day . He was sure there was but one opinion as to the cha ra éter 1 2 4

I OB TO CHAPTE R ! . C DE N CEAS ES B Z O F E A CITI E N MANC H ESTE R . ‘ eleétion T the Midsummer in June , 1 8 1 4 , Cobden unwillingly became for the second time a candidate for the par lia me nta r y representation of Stockport . The Anti—Corn Law League put pressure upon him im and he no doubt realized , for himself, the portance of being able to speak in the House of Commons on behalf of the great movement

‘

which now absorbed him . The old system of nominations at the hustings and Show of hands gave rise to Scenes sometimes amusing and “ sometimes dangerous . The commodious hust ’ ings were e reét edin front of the Bull s Head 2 th 1 8 1 Inn , 9 June , 4 . The candidates were

Henry Marsland , the Liberal member, Major

Thomas Marsland the Conservative member,

and Richard Cobden . The struggle was well “ known to be between the Major and Cobden . If Richard Cobden was such a bird of Paradise ” “ why , asked one of the Tory speakers , did not the people of Manchester call upon him to represent them ?” 1

1 It is quit e possible th a t thi s gibe w a s b a se d uponsome Wh s o h a -s r n of oss of the e r o . w a e n t e m n g ip p i d y C bd , i p i g th e nt -CornL a w e a ue not se leét e dt o re re se nt M a n A i L g , p c h ester th e h e a d- ua rte rs of the move me nt ? Th e oun e r , q y g me n w ou ld h a ve like dt o s ee Cobde n M e mbe r for M a n ch s r Th e ma tte r w e nt so fa r th a t a e ut a t on rom th e e te . d p i f 1 28

Liverpool and that the duty raised the price “ “ 6 2s 8 d. to . That , he said , is forty per cent . addition to the price . Every man in the king

1 0s . dom earns , on the average , per week

more in the large towns , less in the country ” places . Here he was interrupted by a shout : What do your own get at Cross Hall ?” He “ at once rejoined : My men get more than that . There is some fellow talking about Cross Hall ; but would he not like to get there him ? s a 1 0s self I y every working man earns . a week , one with another ; and every family will n s . a eat 5 a week worth of bread , one with

SO . s . z s . other ; that forty per cent on 5 is , and

z s . that is the tax he pays for bread alone .

1 0s . out of is twenty per cent . , and twenty per

cent . on his income is what he pays for the

. z os bread tax The man who earns . per week has no more to pay than the man who earns

1 0s 2os . . , but instead of paying . per cent on

z os . 2 s . his he pays for the bread tax , and that

is five per cent . on his income ; while the man who has £500 a year income pays no more

than one per . cent . ; and when you get to the

rich man , with his a year, he pays 6d no more than . per cent . ; and when you get

to the Duke of Buckingham , with his

a year , he pays no more than a halfpenny per 1 30 I s cent . for the bread tax . there any man who will justify that ?” 1 The Show of hands was in favour of Hen ry

Marsland and Cobden , and this was justified : at the poll , where the votes recorded were 0 0 Henry Marsland , 55 ; Richard Cobden , 53 ;

Thomas Marsland , 334. Cobden had very soon the melancholy duty of visiting his constituents to take part in a meeting to consider the intense sufferings of 2 the people caused by the p roteétive system . With the absorption of his time by the

League and his advent to Parliament , Cobden was unable to continue his local services to

Manchester . For years he may be said to have

1 Onthe subj e ét of th e w a ge s pa id inth e ca li co-print ing t ra de much norma o is tob e oundin a on th e i f ti n f MS . che m st r a ndh stor of th a t n u str w r tte n M r ohn i y i y i d y, i by . J ra ha m a ndnow re se rve inth e a nche ste r re e ra r G p d M F Lib y . Th e ca co- r nt de n r c e e rom 2 s t o s e rs a t a o . li p i S b e iv d f 5 . 3 w e e a ndth e de rs a ndw a sh e rs 1 z s w e e I n1 8 Cob kly , y . kly . 35 de n a 2 inw a e s a ndhis e m o és s e nt p id g , pl y p f, in me a t b re a a ndve e ta e s a ndha d t o s a re , d g bl , p ' for t e a c ofl e e s u a r a ndoth e r ne ce ssa r es a ndc om orts of , , g , i f n1 e . I 8 0 h e a dthe m the sa me sum b ut the h a dth en lif 4 p i , y t o a I for re a dme a t a ndve e ta e s e a v n on p y b , , g bl , l i g ly ” “ ” for oth e r th n s a nche ste r ua rda n 2 rd i g . ( M G i , 3 une J , 1 H is s ee c h is re orte in the a nch e ste r ua r a n p p d M G di , rd ove m e r 1 8 1 3 N b , 4 . lived in public debate , whether on the floor of the House of Commons or on the platformof

the Free Trade Hall , or in the many places u n where he faced audiences , friendly and of rotec friendly, as the unflinching enemy p

tion . The Citizen had now become the States man—the most powerful England has ever

seen , who , from first to last , refused to take f T he o fice . Town Council of Manchester was naturally one of the first to congratulate Cob viétor den on the Free Trade y, as will be seen

by the accompanying engraving . Of course long after Cobden had ceased to

be a citizen of Manchester he was a visitor , and some of his important political speeches were

delivered here . It is pathetic now to read of the emotion with which he made his generous

plea for John Bright , who was unable to appear personally before the e leet ors of Manchester in 1 8 the year 57, when the party , of which Cob w a s den the leader, fared so disastrously at

the polls . N 0 one foresaw so clearly as Cobden how

terrible the War of the Secession would be , and how gravely it would a ffeét Lancashire alike in the mansions of the cotton masters

and i n the cottages of the working people . H is speech at the beginning of the Cotton Famine 1 32

period i n which he was a citizen of Manches

ter, the quantity and quality of the work that

he did is equally surprising . Cobden became a rate-payer of Manchester 1 8 2 in 3 , and voted in its first parliamentary e l i n eét o . He not only managed the Manchester business of his firm but took an a étive interest 1 8 m in the Sabden works . I n 33 he ade a visit 1 8 to Paris , and in 34 visited France and Swit z rla nd 1 8 e . I n the same year and in 35 he was contributing letters on political topics to the “ 1 8 Manchester Times . I n the spring of 35 “ appeared his first pamphlet , England , I re la nd' a nd his , America . I n May he left for first s ea American trip which , exclusive of the voy

- age , lasted thirty seven days . He returned in August with proj eéts for the establishment of

an institution for the benefit , more especially

of the younger members , of the commercial

community . I n this way he became the founder a dvo of the Manchester Athenaeum , and in its ra ética ll his cacy made , p y, entrance into public

life , although he is believed to have spoken at some obscure meeting in favour of the incor ora tion 1 8 6 p of the borough . I n 3 he was a

Sidesman of the Cathedral , a member of the

Literary Society, of the Literary and Philo sophical Society , and of the Natural H istory 1 34 COPY O F RESOLUTION PRESENTE D TO COB D EN BY

TH E M C H E T E R RC H 1 86 1 . AN S CITY COUNCIL, MA , W F M NO IN TH E POSSESSION O TH E FA ILY .

Society . At the end of August he published “ Oétobe r his pamphlet on Russia . From , 1 8 6 2 th 1 8 3 , to 7 April , 37, he was away from England for reasons of health, and visited

Gibraltar , Malta , Egypt , Turkey , Greece , i n a ’ Six months holiday . On his return home he contested Stockport , unsuccessfully, in July . ’ He was present with Daniel O Conne ll at an - open air demonstration there in November . He continued his exertions for the establishment of a system of elementary schools , and issued “ a pamphlet on Education . He served on ncor or the Court Leet jury , and published I p ate your Borough ! The struggle for the Charter of Incorporation lasted through a 1 8 8 good part of 3 . Then came the Municipal E leét ions , and the duties devolving on Cobden as an Alderman of Manchester . The same year witnessed the starting of the Anti -Corn Law ’ Cobdens League , which soon absorbed all energies . Even during his wedding tour on 1 8 0 the Continent in 4 , he wrote seven long letters , full of social and political data , for pub ica t on l i in the newspaper of the League . H is eleétionfor Stockport in 1 84 1 may pra cftica lly be taken as the end of his work a s a private citizen . H is last home in Manchester was Wes terfi eld Viétoria , Park Crescent , Park , I 3S 1 8 8 where he was resident in 4 . M r . William Canning ’ s drawing Shows the house as it is —da to y.

It is not uncommon for men , having served an apprenticeship to public life in the manage ment of local affairs , to pass from them to the larger arena of parliament , but such instances do not afford an exa ét parallel to the experi a ence Of Cobden . Before taking an ét ive part in the civic affairs of Manchester he had written his celebrated pamphlets dealing with problems of national and international welfare . It was fromthe se high speculations that Cobden turned aside for a time in order to do “ the duty nearest hand ” in earnest effort for the benefit of those around him , and especially of those by whom the hard work of the world is done , and who do not always seem to secure an adequate return for their labour . Those who eat in the sweat of their face may be grateful to Richard Cobden , for he not only sought to strengthen them for their toil with daily bread , but to sweeten it with the fruits of knowledge , of freedom , and of brotherhood .

P RI CE “ OP E N “ .

INCORPORATE ! OUB; BOROUGH !

A LE TTE R

TO TH E

INHA B ITA NTS OF MA NCHE STE R,

B ! A R A D I C A L R E FORM E R .

- ndB roth r Re Fellow Townsmena e f ormers .

LordJohnRuss ell decl a redinthe H ouse of C om ' mons a fe w da s a o th a t the la ndedih lerest ha s a ndou ht y g , g to h a ve a na scenda nc over the town o u a t ons inthe , y p p l i p a rli a menta ry re presenta ti on of the cou ntry ; but he forgot to e xpla inhis mea ning by the term la ndedinter

us to su the om ss on. here r the est . Let try pply i i T a e a ourers on the so who c onst tute fort -nne out of l b il , i y i fi fty of the rura l pop ula tion; wha t influence ha s this va st ma j ori ty e ve r p ossessedin the counsel s of th e em~ re ? C onsu t the fi res of win the h st or of the pi l S g, i y D orchester a ourers a ndthe re ort of the new oor l b , p f n - -w la w comm ss oners or a na nsw er . The te a nts a t i i , ill form ro a one ina h undredof the nha ta nts of , p b bly , i bi the a r cu tura dstr c ts a ndthe fi f oundC ha ndos g i l l i i , ty c a use ha s ven to the r a ndords a da most sa d l gi i l l , I l i the r owner s such a reco nsedro ert in heir moc er i , g i p p y g k y of a fra nch se tha t w e no on er shudder Whenwe see i , l g them a t a enera e ect on ma rch n hundreds e , g l l i , i g by , lik a n s of w h te s a ves to the hust n s to vote a t the g g i l , i g , v c omma ndof their tory dri ers . D oes LordJohnmea n t ha t the opinions of these helots ha ve a ny a scenda ncy ' inthe e s a ture . No for his ordshi s term E nded l gi l ; l p ,

1 39 interest rea dthe la ndlordinterest—the nterest if th , i ( e a ristocra c a nds u rea rch of the ' countr a odcon y q i y y, b y stituting not a fra ction of one ten thousa ndth p a rt of the ent re communt a s o osedto the ust nteres t of i i y , pp j i th e na t ona t a r e ! The la ndlordnterest w e a re to d i l g i , l , its c h da ndcha m on the home-secreta r ha s a by il pi , y, r ht to dom non over th e towns —th s is a c a m of ig i i , i l i

ver a nc ent sta ndn . We rea dinh stor tha t more y i i g i y , tha nfi ve h un red ea rs s nce the a r a rous a n estors of d y i , b b c th ese ver s a me feuda a ndords usedto ma ke e c ur y ' l l l x s ons from the r stron h o ds to under o ress a nd i i g l , pl , pp , ra va e w th fi re a ndsword- th e ea cea e a ndndus g , i , p bl i trious nh a ta nts of the towns unt a t en th the Kin s i bi ; il l g , g o E n a ndwho were inturn e osedto the insoI e nce f gl , , , xp of these ma ra u ders from mot ves of o c a ve to the , i p li y , g ’ rinc a towns cha rters of cor ora t on or co—o emlzon p ip l p i , p , w hich ena edthe r nha ta nts to overn themse ves bl i i bi g l , a ndprote ct their p ersons a ndp rop erty from such lordly dep reda tors a s cha ncedto inha bi t the neighbouring ba a c st The a t e of our da is st a a st h roni l a les . b tl y ill g in t e a ri stocra cy ; a ndnot the young a ndinnocent occupa nt of h n h d um e v r ndW0 the t ro e . T e or s of C r e o a l l b , B l i , urn a thou h the ca nno on er storm our town a nd b , l g y l g y , ra nsa c our stores a ndsho s a t the hea dof the r k y p , i ma edva ssa s a re a s effec tua under n our ma il l , lly pl i g y nufa c turcrs a ndthe r a r tiz a ns for the a idof i ; , by the r a rchment yotes a ndtena nt-a t-w serfs the i p ill , y a re still ena bledto levytheir infa mous b rea dta x upon u u A nd' must ou ta me su m t to th s yo r indstry . y ly b i i a e or e our a ncestors of oldw ou not res st pill g , , lik y , ill y i th e a r stocra t c underers ? I f the a tter th en m ta te i i pl l , i i your forefa thers by uniona ndcc -Opera tion; a ma lga ma te a ll ra n s in our town secur n to a ll c a sses a sha re k y , by i g l in its over ment a nd rotect on ve u nt force g n p i ; gi i y , , a nde fliciency to the intelligent a ndwea l thy communi ty of a nchester a nd ua l f it or a nz a t on a s it a l M , q i y by g i i , rea dis ent t ed num ers to be the ea der in the y i l by b , l v na wordI H tt a ns mono o a nd r e e . I b a le a g i t p ly p i il g , CO RPO RA TE ! O U R B ORO U G H . The ne w munc a cor ora t ona ct wh ch w a s a ssed i ip l p i , i in‘ 1835 when the s r t of reform ru edtr um a ntl , pi i l i p y inthe House of C ommons w a s concoc ted a od of , b b y c omm ss oners w hose ea ders we re thorou Ra dca s ; i i , l g i l a nda thou h it rec ve dsome da ma e in the na tura l g ei g , l

4 a c t ; a inongst which a re regula ti ons for the a ppointment of a townc er a nda recorder a ndfor form n a wa tch l k , i g committee ; fines fixedfor refusing to serve whenelected; ower vento th e counc to ma e h - a w s a ndto fine p gi il k y l , to the extent of fi ve p ounds ; a ndther e is a cl a use ex emp ting the b urgesses from serving a s j urors a t courts of r s ons for th co t q ua ter ses i e uny . The funda menta l p rinciples of the new municipa l — ' cor ora tionact a re the hou sehold ua h ca lion a nda n p q fi , ' equa lity o sufi ra ge ; uponth ese broa da ndsecure foun n ' da tions e e tire sup erstructure rests. E very ma ns vote however h um e his c rcumsta nces ma be is of , bl i y , ’ v w h his a h er is e qua l alue it we l t iest neighbour s . Th e no ' c a use orrowedfrom tur es ourne s A ct v n six l b S g B , gi i g votes to the rich m -owner a ndon one to the sma ill , ly ll h a n r h m a n u sh o ee er . T e e Or t e erch t tho h w orth pk p b k , g a m on a ndthou h he r de inhis ca rr a e to the oil illi , g i i g in ooth ca non recordthe sa me num er of votes g b , ly b a s the oor a rt sa n who w a s there erha s s -shod p i , lk p p lip n f m his a r oncella a nda p ro edro g ret r. wa rds of 180 a r e tow ns s tua tedin ever a rt Up l g , i y p of th e em re a re overneda ccordn to the rov s ons pi , g i g p i i of the ne w munc a reform a ct a ndw th unversa i ip l , i i l

sa t sfa c t onto the eo e . Th e a re infa ct so ma n i i p pl y , , y l tt e democra c es ca cu a tedto a ffordu sefu es sons of i l i , l l l l e qua li ty ; to destroy the ba rri ers behindwhi ch th e proud a ndwe a lthy are too p rone to thrust the poor a ndde pendent ; to tea ch the h a ughty few to respect th e a biect ma n a ndwh ch is Of rea ter va lue st th e tendto y ; , i g ill , y impa rt to t he mul titude the eleva ting feelings of sel f s re pect. By a rovision of the municipa l corpora tion reform a ct the r v C ounc ha s the ower to ncor ora te a n , i y il p i p y o w ose h ta n on fo e B ir t wn h in a bi ts petiti r the privil eg . minha m a te he da rea t u c meet n inits no g l ly l g p bli i g, l ow ha for tha t ur ose a wh ch its o u a r b e t n. t ll , p p , i p p l

members es rs . A ttwooda ndScholefielda nda ll the , M s , Ra dcal ea ders a ttendedwhen reso ut ons were una n i l , l i i mousl a ndenthusia st ca l ! a ssedin fa vo r of a n i ly p , u imme ia te a pplica tionto the Pri vy C ouncil for a nincor e - w s en! fo ow pora tion of tha t borough . F llow to nm ll the e a m e of the menof irm nha m who a re a wa s x pl B i g , l y — ! U foremost in the p a th of reform INCORPO RA TE. O R h d of ec v es of B ORORG H . T e mo e s uring the a da nta g 5

democra tic self-government for your town is ea sy a nd mee n be ca eda ndreso ut ons s m e . Let a u c t i pl p bli i g ll , l i be p a ssedinfa vour of the obj ect desired; thena ppoint a ' comm ttee to re a re a et t on to H er a est in i , p p p i i M j y ' “ A month s n ce us be ven in the Ga council . oti m t gi z ette e fore the a ca t onca nbe ta en nto cons dera , b ppli i k i i t on a fterwa rds a ndin due course of offi c a l roceed i ; , i p in s the a tta nment of the a ct of ncor ora t onis c erta n g , i i p i i ; a ndne t ove m er a t the a nnua e ect onof cor ora te x N b , l l i p offi cers throu hout the r t sh e m re a nchester w g B i i pi , M ill be entit edto eno a on w th eeds G a s ow ver l j y , l g i L , l g , Li oo a ndthe rest of the re a t orou hs the ess n s of p l , g b g , bl i g free e - v m ta te then th e e a m e of s f o ernment . , l g I i , , x pl Birmingh a m in th e promptitude of your proceedings . I s there no da nger tha t c ircumsta nces ma y a ri se to im ’ p ede you inyour a pplica tion to the Q ueens Council ? fi re ther e no symptoms ominou s of tory a scenda nc y? Shouldthe country a ga in fa ll a prey to tha t politica l a rt how much the more w ou d our town sta ndin p y , l y needof the p rotectionof a libera l loca lgover nment ! Reco ect tha t the ma ssa cre of the l6 th of A u : 18 19 ll g , , cou dnot ha ve occurredif a nchester ha dthen een l , , M b n r da ccordn to th e rov s ons of the r s nt i co pora te i g— p i i p e e municipa l reform a ct ; a ndwhy ? B eca use the united ma stra tes of a nca sh re a ndCheshire who thenentered gi L i , the town to ho dthe r ench a t the ta r I nn ta e the , l i b S , k c omma ndof the o ce a ndorder the so ders to cut p li , l i downa ndtra m e u onuna rmedcrowds wou dinsuch pl p , l , a ca se ha ve no more ur sdct on over a nchester tha n , j i i i M C onta n no l ol— p a ! s ti e . N rncoa o a r a O U R B ORO U G H ! a ndthence fgr h n n f t , e ther M r. H u to , o H u ton, nor . i l l a n Tor s u re or a rson w ever come nto our town y y q i p , ill i y a t the hea dof a doz enma ster a um ns fi rst to let gi i l b pki , oose a troo of fox h unters ds u seda s eoma nr l p , i g i y y c a va r to tr the meta of the r swords u onhe ess l y . y l i p lpl w omen a ndch dren a nda fterwa rds to return u c il , p bli tha nk s to the offi cers a ndmen for thei r extreme forbea r a nce a nthe occa sion! ! N o for by one of the provi

The con uct of the commoncounci of th e cit of Lonon a d l y d , t th is me a ncho a ndmemora b e erio rove s the a va nta e s l ly l p d, p d g de rive rom a munici a cor o a tion a r ticu a r t s d f p l p r , p l ly in ime of e xcite ment a ndd a nger ; a ndcontra sts mou rnfu lly w ith th e prost ra te a ndh e ess a te of th e townof Ma nch ester f r w a n of such lpl f , o t a nor a so nr a s it kn w a h ri nt g niz a tion. NO o e w o nth t t e P nce Rege 6 a lone of the cor ora t onreform a ct no erson ca nbe p i , p a ppointedto the office of j ustice of the pea ce ina ny of the borou hs ho dn ua rter sessions uness be ve g l i g q , l li w i thin the limi ts p rescribedfor the residences of the

ur esses. Inthis c a use a one finda suffic ent rea b g l l , I i son if there w ere not a nh undredothers for a n , , pplyi g for a na ct of ncor ora t on a ndthus to a ce for ever i p i , pl the popula tionof our town a ndneighbourhoodbeyond the contro of a boob s u rea rch who a hor us no l y q i y , b t more for our love of p oli tica l freedom; tha n for those v dnte ectua ursu wh c nra s s tr a c ti e a n i ll l p i ts i h co t t—o s ongly a t menta st u o in d wi th th — l p r which they exist I ha a l v most sa id egeta te . I ha ve endea vouredto gi ve you a fa int outline of the new munc a reform a ct under the rov s ons of wh ch i ip l , p i i i it is inyour power to pl a ce your borough ; but let me now a nce for a moment for the s a e of c ontra st a t gl , k , the kindof government which this pla ce a t present suf The ch ef un a c r is the rou h fers under. i m icip l offi e bo g reeve a o nteda t the court- eet of the ordof the , pp i l l Ma nor ; the two consta bles being chosen a t the sa me t me a ndma nner for the hea ds of the o ce a ndthe i , p li ; three a r e universa lly rec ogniseda s the highest a utho rities of the tow n a ndres ons e for the ea ce ves ; p ibl p , li , a nd ro ert es of this o u ous w ea th a ndsomewha t p p i , p p l , l y, ders w o a re e c ta e communt . Now how w m rea h x i bl i y , ill y , not inthe secret be s ur risedwhenthe a re to dof the , p y l ma nner inwhich these imp ort a nt functiona ries a re a p ointedto the government of the secondtown in t e B ri tish empi re ! I t ca nnot be be tter expla inedtha nby describing the proceedings a t the la st c ourt-leet of the ordof the a nor w hen it wa s m a mus n fa te to be L M , y i g s summoneda one of t he j urors. A ndfirst for the oca t where the a u ust ceremon , l li y , g y of the electionof the highe st nrunicipa l offi cers for the h ster townof M a nc e ta kes pla ce .

b n vise x re ss h is a ro a ti n f ose rocee ins h a d ee a d d to e p pp b o o th p d g , th a n th e commoncounci of Lon on a sse reso utions con emn l d p d l , d “ ing the cond uct of the ma gistra te s a ndyeoma nry a s being dis gr a ceful to th e ch a ra cte r of E nglishmen; a ndthey a dd ressed th e Prince Re ent remonstra tin w ith h is ro a hi h ne ss for h a vin g , g y l g g beenind uce d to express his a pprova l of th e conduct of th e a bettors a nd tra tors of those a r cities a nd ra in h im to ca use the perpe t o , p y g gu ilty pe rpetra tors th ereof to b e brough t to signa l a ndcondign punish ment.

8

ill hea th a nd revious serv ces . The urors retested l , p i j tha t there wa s not a nother personrema ining in e town sh a e a nda t the sa me t me e i e to fill this hi h ip li bl , i lig bl , g f differ n o ce. ome tt e e ce of o non existin how fi S li l pi i g, ever w e re uested erm ss onto ret re a ndwere con , q p i i i , ductedt hrough a door opening of? the la nding outside the room into a c ose t under the sta rs in wh ch were , l i , i de os tedthe onnets sha w s c oa s a ndc o s of the p i b , l , l k , l g nymphs who w ere threa ding the ma z es of the qua drille dn a ndwa tz inthe a cin a ca dem a ove . H ere some l , g y b stoodwh st others sa t a ndthe rema inder stoo edbe , il , p nea th the sta rs ti our de era tions wh ch were not a i , ll lib , i itt e a c ce era ted our ncommodious ua rters were l l l by i q , rou ht to a c ose a ndwe ret rednto court with a ver b g l , i i dict a ga inst the cla ims to exemption ut in by the borou hreeve e ect who theron on w a s ec a t edcoutu g l , l ci s dfined 200 which fine wa s a fterwa rd ma ou , a n £ , ( s m d Ou cho ce ne t fe u na n ndvidua a sen re itte . ) r i x ll po i i l b t from Ma nchester a ndthe court wa s a dournedfor two , j

da s th a t he mi ht ha ve t me to a ea r. Onrea ssem y , g i pp — b n a t the a o ntedt me he resentedh mse f to roi li g pp i i , p i l p test a a nst the nom na t on but he e dedre ucta nt g i i i ; yi l l ly, a ndth e honour w a s a t la st gently forceduponhim. The two individua ls chosenconsta bles w ere a lso unwillingly a h ffi ce The cr er soo compelledto ta k e the o t s of o . y n a fterwa rds formally a djournedthe court to the M osley fi rms H otel or dinner a t wh ch a ll resent a u hed , f , i p l g hea rt a ndth us ver a ro r a te termina tedthe ily ; , y pp p i ly , f a rce of a mock electionof ofi cers to governthe aj a in of the townof M a nchester . Neither the boroughreeve nor the consta bles whom I o nedine ectin w ere now n to me rivate] or j i l g , k , p n e ea st now ede of t em . I h a d ot th p ublicly l k l g , i u a ndother urors were a li e persona l or by rep te ; j k of in th e tya rk upon the subj ect their qua lifi ca tions. ‘ The j u summonedto a ppoint those ofiicers a re selectedgy the lega l a ge nt of the Lordof the Ma nor ; they a ttendunwillingly ; the consta bles serve their offi ces unwillingly ; the boroughreeve submits to his a ppoint ment unwillingly ; the public is indifferent to the w ho e roceedn not one intenthousa ndof the o l p i g, la tion of Ma nchester a ttending to wit ness it ; propa pi ‘ not one personinfifty of the inha bita nts of the horoug knows even the na mes of the boroughreeve a ndcon sta bles a t this moment ; a ndnot one individua l intwo hundredis a c ua intedw th them ersona l . ! et to q i p ly , them is intrustedthe gua rdia nship of the p ea ce of the town a ndinca e of emer enc onthem shou dwe be ; , s g y, l compelledto dependfor conduct to comma ndthe confi den of a o ula tionof ersons of whomnot five p p , v h es ! w mu h w inl e er ea rdof thei r na m . H o c ought e to tha nk tha t inherent love of order a ndreverence for eu thorit inthe eo e wh ch notw thsta ndn our a surd y p pl , i , i i g b a dhesionto olda ndo so ete forms of overnment se b l g , c ure to us in s te of ourse ves the essins of tra n , pi l , bl g quillity ! The diffi cul ty ina pointing individua ls residing wi thin the townsh who one a re ia e to serve the offi ces of ip , l bl borou hree ve a ndconsta es ar ses from the circum g bl , i sta nce of a most a ll the mercha nts ma nu fa cturers a nd l , , wholesa le dea lers ha ving removedth ei r residences into the out-townshi s where the a re e ondthe urisdct on , y b y j i i ' : Ma nor s court- es he n th of the Lordof t e l t. T re is a o er c rc umsta nce however which whilst it e a ins a rt the i , , , xpl p ly difiicult will a lso throw a light upon the a ristocra tic spiri t w ich clings more or less to everything ha ving a feuda or n. I t is of course ver we nowntha t l igi , , y ll k hundreds of resp ecta ble a ndw ea l th shopkeepers reside w ithinthe township of Ma nchester ; ut it is not equa lly notorous tha t it ha s a wa s eena ma m a t the e ec ~ i l y b xi , l tionof munc a ofiicers tha t no r ta er wa s e i i e to i ip l , e il l g bl the offi ce of boroughreeve or consta ble ! A ndso a nxious ha ve the Tory ma nufa cturers a ndwholesa le dea ers eento a ort ona mon st the r ownorder di l b pp i g i , g ntica however hum e tha t even the mena offi ces in i , bl , i l ' the gift of Sir Oswa ldMosleys feuda l court ha ve been i the sa me a ristocra tic s r A a r a distributedn pi it. l a te p li menta ry ca ndida te for the borough of S a lfordheldthe high offi ce of a le ta ster ; a ndthe Ma nchester D irectory for 1833 records tha t our r chest ba nker a n ndividua l i , i whose princely fortune wouldentitle him to a dukedom ina n other countr inE uro e he dthe res onsi e y y p , l p bl p ost of muz z ler of ma sttf dogs a ndbitches ! The tone

0 un erstoo a s re errin onl to the s ste m a n to be d d f g y y , d not ca ning a nything persona l or invidious ina lluding to the se en eme n who a re I be lie ve a s re uta ble a nda s we l ua li e g , , ; p l q fi d a s a n of their r decessors to ll the of ces t which the a re y p e , fi fi o y a ppointe d; 10 which ha s so long preva iledin the government of the ' ‘ townha s na tura lly enough p erva deda ll our publi n stitutions a ndevenenterednto the riva te a rra n ements , i g w d o tha of soc a fe. I t is e l un erst o for e a m e t i l li l x pl , ’ if the shopkeeper s fa mily be not forma lly interdicted from enterin our u ic a ssem es the wou dnot be g p bl bli , y l consul ting their owninterest or enj oyment by a ttending them' a ndthe reta i er wou dfi ndit roba bl a most a s ; l l , y, l dffi cu t to a n a dm ss on to our clu s a ndour concert i l g i i i , a s he might to obta in the p ri vilege of entré to the ’ r l dea nfus a ueens cou t. The wholesa e er i t ns or fents Q l i , whose bundles occu a a rret or ce a r from wh ch py g ll , i

1 he on ssue in the ross ma however vu a r: in y ly i g , y, lg m ndor ill- redin ma nners a n a dm ss on without i b , g i i i difiicult to a c es of r vile edresort from wh ch the y pl p i g , i reta mercer or ewe er w th erha s ten t mes the il j ll , i p p i w ea th a ndwhose voca t ondema nds some refinement o l , i ma nners a ndcu tiva t onof m ndwou dfee h mse f ex l i i , l l i l w der with these fa cts inview if we c uded. ha t on l W , , sometimes meet with Tory-ra dica ls or opera tive C onser va tives ! ha t wonder if the s ncere democra t fi ndn W i , i g a counterfe t a ristocra c ever where current shouldrow i y y , g bewildereda t the s ht of the s uri ous m ta tions a nd ig p i i , , to esca e dece tion refer such a s ea r th e enu ne p p , p b g i sta mp of nobility ! w dfferent fr m he sta te of th n s ust descr bed H o o t j , i ‘ i g i is the condt on of soc a fe in the c t of ondon i i i l li i y L , d f n n the wh a nd where a ll istinctiono ra —k betwee olesa le reta dea er is unknown where w a rehousemen a nd il l , sho ee ers if u on a a r in wea th cha ra cter a nd pk p , p l , , educa tion mee t a t a ssem es a ndc u s or ntercha n e , li l b , i g v s u in domestic i its ina spirit of p erfect equa li ty . B t the c t of ondon w here ou w findno ma nor court i y L , y ill leet diffusing its tone of feuda l insolence a ndsla vish servi t there is a col ora t on renownedfor its era li y , i lib l cha ra cter; a ndmore tha na moi ety of its commoncoun

cilmen a ndsevera of the a ldermen a re sho ee ers. , l , pk p The ce e ra ted derma n Wa ithma n who servedt e l b Al , h high offices of Sheriff of Middlesex a ndLordMa yor of ondon a ndw a s on a mem er for the c t wa s a nen L , l g b i y , li dra er a ndthe us ness of his sho is st l ca rr edon p , b i p i l i - a t the corner of Fee t treet his soris. A t the sho l S , by p former occu ed drma n rch the a s tr coo ly pi by Al e Bi , p y k, inCornhi ou ma st l refresh ourse ves w th buns ll, y y i l y l i

12 res ect ve ca ndda tes the eo e who wi a fterwa rds p i i , by p pl , ll su ort them inthe r a uthor t a ndto whom inreturn pp i i y , , , th ey sha ll be responsible . S uch is the choice submitted to the e o e Of a nchester. I s the a a rt or is p pl M re p y, there a ma n a mongst us w ho will hesita te to ra ise his ’ voice infa vour Of democra tic self Overnment i I f there be such a ma n ma r him for w s tever his rofessions , k , p ma be de endu on if he is not a t he r fo me r y , p p , a rt a e r The or a fri endof the p eople . new corpora tions a re ’ tra des unons ino os tion to the corn-la w t ra nts i , pp i , th e la ndedint erest they a re norma l schoo s of a gi ta tion for the educa tion Of ora tors a n a rio the , dp t ts ; } ” re use he r Th MP : a to t wo ds of oma s ttwoodE s . , ( A , q , u ttereda t the a te mee t n a t rm nha m before re l i g Bi i g , “ ferredto rea a nd e a o t ca l unons in ever , ) l l g l p li i i orou h a ndthe a ecom sh th n much etter tha n b g , y li i b the Po t ca non whic is ver iflicult to move a nd li i l U i , y , a ttendedwith grea t ha z a rda ndexpense into the ba r i u ga n. S uch being the na t re a ndtendency of t he now c or ora t ons ou ma be a ssuredif the ro osa to a p i , y y , p p l p for one for a nchester be res stedthe os tion ply M i , Opp i w ll he s nce he sho i not come from t i re reformers. T p kee ers to a ma n w l su ort the a n beca use its p , , il pp pl , immeda te o era tion wi tend a s ha s a lrea d een i p ll , v b shown the e a m e Of ondon to e eva te them to by x pl L , l th e r ro er eve in the socia l sca le a nda ffordto the i p p l l , p ublic-spiritedindividua ls of tha t most influentia l cla ss n f a enl a rgedfieldOf use fulness. The dissenters O a lmost e ver sect w i on th s a s on all other occa s ons be y ll , i , i , oun o s m f Who then f don the s de of wh e o e re orm. i l , , ' w O ose the ncor ora t n of the orou h ? The ill pp i p i g b g y, a one who res steds o strenuous the ) a s s n of the l , i ly i g municipa l reform a ct ; the who thwa rtedthe commis sioners intheir inquiries i nto the corrup tions of those dens of in u t the Oldcor ora t ons in 1834 a nd iq i y, p i , , a fterwa rds dfendedthe rotten orou hs b counse a t e b g , y l , th e ba r Of the H ouse of ords in 1835 the who L , ; y petitionedthe peers to dep rive the bill of some of its est rov s ons a ndrocuredthe nsert onof the odous b p i i , p i i i qua lifica tion cl a use for councillors ; they w ho now refuse corpora tions to I rela nd; they who enta iledupon ver oo orw ch a ndthe rest of the orou hs Li p l , N i , b g , the c urse Of the r vena freemen the TH E r oa ms i l ; y , , w e ver a rt ma nmuvre a nddev ce o ose the ill , by y , , i , pp a ttempt to inco to your borough . They know tha t nelec tion0 counc l ors a nda dermennot three out a t a i l l . O f the sixty four of our members of the towncouncil will Torres the now th s a ndtherefore the wi wise be ; y k i , y ll ly l o h a ndconsistent p se the incorpora tionof the boroug . ' B ut they wllyape ca re not to come forwa rdinth eir owncha ra cter ; they will resist your efforts under the ise of resp ect to the people ; they will fight you under a fa lse colours of economy ; they w ill prete ndto he the tribunes of the poor ; a nd roba bly cover the wa lls of the townw th ha ndi s ca l in u onus to bewa re of i b ll , g p a our on o ce oor-la w unons a ndba sti es or B b p li , p i , l ; they will repea t the story pl a ca rdedthroughout B ir minha m the da before the rea t mee tin there tha t g , y g g , the government w ill not t a cO ra tion unless we " a ree to s end£ l7000 a ea r ! these a nda th ou g p , y sa ndother tr c s w be resortedto the Tories to i k ill by , cover the r rea des ns Of ee n downthe e o e a nd i l ig k pi g p pl , a h w ut the reta ining a ll the w r in t eir o n ha nds . B y w ill fa il here a s signa lly a s they didinthe townha ll of rm nha m for whenth e t me for ho dn the ub ic Bi i g ; , i l i g p l meetin a rr v s not a s nle Tor w a ttendour town g i e , i g y ill ba ll a s w a s the ca se in the a ove nsta nce to wimess , b i , s nduna nmous vote v the enthu i a s tic a i infa our Of a tie t onto th e Pr v C ounci to inco ora te th e oron i i y l, b g B ut the Tories ha ve a pla nof lheir ownfor electin munic a ofi cers a s a su st tute for the a r a rous a n ip l , b i b b eventor -condemnedcourt- eet the ha ve ro osed y l ; y p p , by th e r or a nOf the ress tha t the borou hreeve a ndconf i g p , g sta bles sha ll be electedfrom the sa me bOdy a s the com m ss oners of o ce the w ou d in fa ct reta n for i i p li ; y l , , i a nchester the £ 16 ua ifi ca t on whi st a ll t e cor o M q l i , l h p ra te b oroughs inthe kingdom elect their town councils by householdsuffra ge ! S uch is the ma gna nimous pro posa l Of the Tories to the housekeep ers of Ma nchester ; a ndshou dthe r a trons e nton a ndPee ossess l i p , W lli g l, p th mse ves of ffi ce such is the sort of oca overnment e l O , l l g

w h h . which e mig t expect t em to inflict upon us. Re formers of M a nchester ! if you wouldsecure yourse lves a ga inst such a ca la mit be prom t inyour imita tionof the exa mple set you y th e Ra dica ls Of Birmingha m; ’ - the a re nea rer to St. Ja mes s a ndD owning Street by ittleess tha none hundredm es tha n ou a ndha ve l l il y , better cha nnels through which to lea rnthe intrigues of courtiers a ndthe ma ch na t ons of a rties a whis er a , i i p ; p , billet-dour m ht ina n nsta nt cha n e a ministr a nd . ig i g y, me sta te- re m ta morphose the policy of this g a t e pire . ecure for o r town then the a dva nta es of a free a nd S y u , , g ' de mocra tic government The cost of a ' goodmunicipal a dministra tion must de enda to ether u on the dscret on of the ur esses p l g p i i b g , inelecting prudent a ndeconomica l councillors

their a ffa rs . The house ee ers of eeds i k p L , a ndthe ne h our n orou h of toc ort ig b i g b g S kp , ca pa ble of choosing honest councillors a nda ldermen; a ndI contendnotw thsta ndn the nionof the Tor es , i i g Opi i to the contra r tha t the eo e of Ma nchester a re a so y, p pl l i e tr s dw t h o to b u te i h t e selecti n of their public ofiicers. I t w be the fa u t of the house ee ers themse ves if ill l k p l , they a ll ow their own serva nts to be extra va ga nt inthe end f th A to the a bilit of Ma n e xp iture o eir money . s y chester to su ort a munc a overnment wh st such pp i ip l g , il ' a s ns a nd ca r orou h a ces a th sw ch St. a pl B , Ip i , Alb , S b g , ossess cor ora t ons I shou dbe a s ha medto offer a n p p i , l r u e I he ri s b s ncere in a g ment up onthe subj ct. f t To e e i their a la rm a bout the b urdens which a corpora tionwill im ose unonthe town - if the rea e eve a thou h p , y lly b li . l g one h undreda ndeighty boroughs inthe British empire a re a t th s moment ncor ora te dsome of wh ch a re in i i p , i , ex tent mere v a es tha t a nchester ca nnot or w l not , ill g , M il pa y a simila r price for the pri vilege of a gooda ndfree ovemment -thenlet them su scr e from their wea th g , b ib l , a ndsenda e n box a roa dtha t funds ma be ra ised b ggi g b , y to rescue their na tive borough from such a disgra ceful distinction. - I t is sa idtha t the inha bita nts of Chorltonupon M edlock wouldobj ect to ha ve their township incorpor nsta tedis I a tedw th tha t of a nchester. The rea so i M , e eve tha t the ra tes in the former dstr ct a re i hter b li , i i l g tha n those in the la tter ; a ndtha t to a ma lga ma te the whole wouldim ose a nincrea sedb urdenuponthe out o h no ho fa r th s is the fa ct wns . I no w w t ip 0 t k i , I t a ea rs b ut I will a ssume it for sa ke of a rgument . pp to me however tha t it is a ver confinedVi w of the , , y e hor tona re so ent re whole matter. The p op ula tionof C l i ly

c onnectedw th a ndndeedde endent u on a nchester, i , i p p , M us ness ties tha t it is m oss e the two ca nha ve by b i , i p ibl se e a ers n ta ke his sta nda t the pa ra te interests. L t p o

I a mnot going to pa ss over the numerous cla s s of sma ll shopkeepers a nd others in h or ton-u on-Medloclt w hose intere sts a re w hol confi nedto the C l p , ly d a t n c i w h c h the reside . I t mi h t be sa i th th e a re not co cerned distri t n i y g , y inthe uestionof incor or a tin a nch este r but it mi t be ea s i roved q p g M ; lyp . th a t if t h e townsh i of Ma nchester shou ldb e pla ceda n er th e a dmira ble ro v ions of th e Muni ci a l or ora tionRe orm A ct w h i st hor ton-u on cd is p C p f . l C l p loc k continue dto increa se in popu la tion with ou t th e a dva nta ges of s uch a ch a rter its overnment must necessa ri i time ecome u ns uitedto so rea t , g ly, n , b g a communit a ndsu osin such a n nconvenient sta te of t h n s to b e r y; , pp g i i g pe tua tedu nt i t w ere oundth a t th e o ice of the townsh i were imufi cieu tl pe , il f p l p y re u a tedit w ou d rove a ser ous e vi to its industrious inh a ta nts b de g l , l p i l bi , y t err in eo e of ro ert from ta kin u their residence init I t is sa g p pl p p y g p , id, h ow ever th a t hor tonis row in so ra id innum ers tha t it w i b a n , C l g g p ly b , ll y d b conta innea r nh a ta nts a ndbe entit edto a cor ora t onof its y ly i bi , l p i u t th a t townsh ca non increa se in o u a t on n own. B ip ly p p l i i conseq uence of th e row th of a nch este r of wh ch it mus t necessa r be sti a su ur It g M , i ily ll b b . ss s t e indv dua ua it es of a ds nct tow N one c a nnot po e s h i i l q l i i ti n. o prete nds th a t Chorltono u on-Medloclt w i l h a ve a nE xch a ne of its own or a n s or p l g , b k , a ost offi ce a th ea tre a news a er or itera r a ndscienufi c ns titut ons or p , , p p , l y i i . new s-rooms or a n of th e us ua c oncomita nts of a rea t a ndinde ende nt , y l g p w t e o sta tedit inO o n th mu communit . B ut ere h e a cts re sitio st y f b f pp , ey rove a ta to such a c a im. I f it w ere show nbe one th e Pr v ounci rom p f l l i y C l , f sta tistic a da ta a s mi h t ea si b e done th a t a rea t ro ortionof the inh a bi l . g ly , g p p ta nt s of Ch a rltonw ere a rea d ur esse s of th e cor ora t onof a nch ester a l y b g p i M , n dist nct ch a m w ou dunder s uch circumsta ces certa in not be ra nted. it i i l , . ly g h a s to be s ure een ood-h u monrc dl im ute dto hor ton-u on- edoc th a t , , b g y p C l p M l k , it h a s h o e s of bein a a r ia menta r borou h ! I h o e h ow ever its a ct ve a nd p g p l y g p , , i pu blic spiritedreformers w ill not deta ch th emsel ves from th eir polit ica l b re th renin a nch ester u nti th e h a ve a more certa in ros ect th a na t re sent M , l y p p p of os se ss n th a t r vi e e we ca nnot a ffordto ose suc h va ua e a p i g p i l g ; l l bl llies . I t is to a nuinber of intelh ent a ndinfluentia linha bita nts of h or tonmore tha n g C l , b l th e v esides a ndthe a ct a p roba lyto a l oters b , ( [ volume: to p rove the e a din the M o towns/u s a dentdy of t nte r sts p er v g p ) a t one , if not both of our a e te or th e etnrns borou gh members , re indb df ir r . B u t I h a ve tres a s sedso on on our a tte ntion th a t I sha l on a ddone p l g y , l ly v r t o ect a m vo t b s a na r e oth er a rgu ment infa ou of h e bj I a d ca ing: ut it. i gum nt th a t w ill a ppea l not less to the rea son th a n th e s ympa th ies of a ll w ho ca n ‘ feel for th e a ufi er ings of th eir Oppresseda ndtortu redfellow-countrymenin t is ver we nown th t e rish n th e s is te r i sla nd. I y ll k a th I a re co tending for corpor a t ion reform: th ey a re struggling to get ridof th ose lega lisedOra nge Lodes m sna me dcor ora t ons w h ch ha ra ss them ine ver orou h the g , i p i , i y b g : y des ire to e lect t h e ir ow nmunicipa l offi ce rs from a mongst th e ir pa triotic a nd h onoura e e ow -c it z e ns ins tea dof b a r in th rus t u on t h em to use bl f ll i , g p , ( ’ ' O Conne ll s w ords a t th e la te Stoc ort es t va some iti u o ti c a n kp f i l , ) p f l p li i , ma in th e da dsa r eea e b h is a rt o t cs a ndth e n h t ds ust n k g y i g bl y p y p li i , ig i g i g b th e w ors t a rt toa sts w h o a te r o ress n th e eo e b da nsu ts t h em y p y , . f pp i g p pl y y, i l t t is w a inthe e is a t u re in h is ttem t f b n h . Bu h e th rte a to re orm y ig d —l g l , p th ese rotte n orou h s b th e Tones z a ndw h a t is th e a vour te a ment b g , y f i th e a t ter use ? w h th a t a nch ester B inni ii h a rn a ndSh e dield a r e no l y, M , g , . r v s co pora tions , a ndyet th ey a r e ery pro perou s a ndconte nt One of th e urest of h er a triots descri edto me a few w ee s a o interms of ow n p p b , k g , gl i g e o uence bow tte r th e e o e of I re a nd ee a ndre ret these a e a s to l q , bi ly p pl l f l g pp l e e xa m of e ea t of ou r ma nu a c tu w s r s h b th ple th gr te s f ring to n. I i me n inh a i ta nts of M a nch e s ter ! let us no longer continue to s u pply pra ctic a l a rgument for t yra nts : l endyour a idto Wipe out th i s blot u ponth e c ha ra cter of th e town1 a ndth u s a s si st your grea t libe ra tor i nh is ba t t le for j u stice for I rela nd! Once more for a ll t he rea s ons I ha ve na med a ndfor a thou sa ndoth en l cou d , , l t me e rrmtte d ment on I re ea t to the Re o mers of a nchest er if i p , i , p f r M , i ucos eoa a r e r oun 3 03 006 5 ! F R A RA D lCAL B E O H E B .

- G S t i s v a nna s urna me s. A D B! , nii r s i , a ! APPE NDI . COB DE N B I B LIO

GRAPHY . H E basis of this list of the writings of Richard Cobden and the literature to which they have given rise is the Cata logue of the British Museum ; but there are many titles included here which a re not in the

National Library . The British Museum list was reprinted by Mr . T . Fisher Unwin as an ’ appendix to the edition of C obdens Political

Writings published by him . As a matter of convénie nce the pressmarks at the British

Museum have been added to the entries . The

M P . L letters . . indicate that the work is not in the British Museum , but may be consulted in the Manchester Reference Library . Articles in biographical diétiona ries and e ncyclo a edia s c p have not been included , but referen e should be made to Leslie Stephen ’ s “ Dic ” tiona ryof National Biography (John Morley) ; ’ R . H . I nglis Palgrave s Dict ionary of Poli 1 8 - tical Economy (London , 94 9 , 3 ’ o and Conrad , Elster, Lewis , and Lo ning s H a ndw orterbu ch der Staatswissenschaften 1 8 1 - (Jena , 9 7, 7 Many magazine articles

have appeared relating to Cobden , but a clue to these will be found in Poole ’ s I ndex to

Periodical Literature and its continuation , ’ “ and in Stead s I ndex to Periodicals . The article on Cobden in the “ British Quarterly 1 56

’ shaw s Manchester Journal . The editor i n the preface to each of the three vol umes in e his ludes Cobden in list of contributors , but his articles are not signed . The failure of this magazine was commemorated by the establish ment of a club composed of its founders , who , “ t ” under the name and style of The Vic ims , celebrated their own losses . An account of the club appears in the Papers oft he Manchester ”

a 2 8 . Liter ry Club , vol . ii , p . ’ “ On Cobde ns ancestry s ee Notes and ” h 2 t 6 1 0 . Queries 7 Series , xi , 4 , 5 There are , of course , many references to him in the bio political literature of his time , and in the graphies of Bright , Gladstone , and other statesmen 1 H is portrait is understood to

I t ma y b e w e ll to give the t itle s of some of the more m or a n oo s i p t t b k . h s on s ons f u ohn r ht ee c e ue t o c o c . B Sp Q i P bli P li y y J B ig , n on M P a mes h or o e rs . o t e . o . . Edi d by J E T ld R g L d , 6 s x v a nd 6 1 8 8. 8vo. 2 vo . . . l Pp , 535, 5 7 h M P hn r t . . Th e u c ette rs of the ht H on. o P bli L Rig J B ig ,

n on 1 88 . 8v0 o nd e . e e ch . o . eéte a e t . C ll d di d by H J L L d , 5 x v 2 , 35 . nn w a c r a ndRecol ruce a r . a nw . e mo B , M y L A S i k A M i n 1 e t ons 8vo on o 0 . l c i . . L d , 9 3 a n Th e - tor of hn a e o t c . e uc e o . V B kl y , J A ill g P li i i Lif S y d a s h nInt roduétion te . uc m te r t a J . B . Edi by J C . B k . Wi

h n l M P n on 1 . M u del a . o 8 the t H on. . . . , 97 by Rig A J , L d ii 8vo. v . , 337 1 58 have been intended by Lord B ea consfi eldin the character of Job Thornberry in Endy mion I t has been suggested that the bibliography

f h a s onKnow n stor o t e e e e . o e t o e t o so . C ll , C ll D b Hi y T x l dg n a nd e ea th a n nt rodu t on Th e i r O rigi R p l . Wi I c i by n 2 o s o oa . on o 1 8 . vo v e or e a c o e 8 . . G g J b H ly k L d , 99 l i 2 1 6 x i 2 1 a ndv . v, 7 , f nton a rns h of his e o e eor e o e . etc . H p , G g , F B A Sk Lif his d h er n ur 1 1 r o om e a u t . h 88 . a e 8v C pil d by g Edi b g , L g .

v 80 . iii , 3 The e a nd or of nca n M c L re n a c e . . u a . M ki , J B Lif W k D n n 1 8 8 8 o x i i 1 a nd ii 2 2 vo s . o o 8 . v . v . l L d , , 33 , 99

a e t e rna rd Sir ou s a e t . e cor of u c M ll , B . L i M ll A R d P bli

nd o t ca e a s . on on 1 . 8 o e rv c e a 0 v . S i P li i l Id l L d , 9 5 ix , 2 20 pp . hn e of a n or e o . m w a rt a sto e . on on M l y , J Lif Willi E Gl d L d ,

1 0 . vo s 9 3 3 l . ’ a s n ns c ll tc h e me w . h r sto he r ra o Re o eétions Ri i , J E i g C i p C y . Th e e a nd me s of he a e s i t t . a to h m Lif Ti l J E . R . ld by nd 8 se f. o on 1 8 0 26 8v . 8 . l L , 9 . pp o e r son f h t a m. e a nd mes o t e ht H on R b , Willi Lif Ti Rig . hn h on n 1 o r 8 . 8 o. 88 . t . o 8 v J B ig L d , 3 Pp . 5 m e s a mu ut o o r h o e . a te h ma s M a c S il , S l A bi g p y . Edi d by T ka ndon 1 o 8v0. 2 . . 0 . y L , 9 5 Pp . 45 h nr te e n s . of h w o Por e e e e a w c e tt . t t S p , L li Lif H y F Wi our d on on a h t on 1 886 8 o. v t r ts t v 8 . i . F E i i . L d , . iii , 4 3

M rs . a rr e ch r unn mor es of or n tow e t ee e . e e S , H i B S y M i F ig n n 1 8 8 0 a n s . o o . v . L d L d , 54 h e or e a rne tt The e of a m w a rt a d m t . S i , G g B Lif Willi E Gl n n 0 s nth t o . 8 . v . on on to e eve v 60 . . El Edi i iii , 4 L d

h H on. h a r es e h a m M P r e ra V e rs t . . e e illi , Rig C l P l , F T d h h a o ca e mo r on on 1 8 8 o ee c e s w t t 8 . v . Sp , i P li i l M i . L d , 3 2 v s ol . should include references to the Speeches on

Questions of Public Policy , edited by John

Bright and J . E . Thorold Rogers , and to the

collect ed edition of the Political Writings .

This has been done , and the result is a chrono of logical list the writings of Cobden , and of all his speeches that have been rep rinted from ” Hansard , or from newspaper reports . Since

this list appeared in Notes and Queries , i addit onal titles have been supplied by M r . -W Fisher Unwin from Midhurst . . E . A . A .

I . COLLECTE D ED ITIO NS O F WRIT

I NGS AN D S PEECH ES . 2 The Political Writings of Richard Cobden . 1 8 : n 86 8 o. 008 . v . ee . vols . Ridgeway Londo , 7 o 2 Second Editi n . vols . London [printed] , : 1 868 8 o V . Appleton New York ,

8008 e . e . . 3

[Another edition . ] With an I ntroductory

C . B essay by Sir Louis Mallet , . (Notes by

“

. CO : F . W . Chesson ) Cassell . London , - . 2 2 8 1 1 8 8 8 v0 . . . 7 . Pp xxvii 394 3 . a 4 . Co z [Another edition . ] Cassell . Lon 8 - 0 1 a a 2 2 8 6 . 8 . a . . 1 8 vo. . don , . Pp vii 7 4 39 : [Anoth er edition . ] London T . Fisher 1 0 2 Unwin . 9 3 . vols .

Speeches on Questions of Public Policy . Edited 1 60

’ H ugh Stowell s Letter . By R . Cobden , Esq . 8 8 1 8 . vo . . Manchester , 37 . Pp 1 8 8 3 . I ncorporate your Borough ! A letter to the

Inhabitants of Manchester . By a Radical

Reformer . Manchester, J . Gadsby 1 — 8 o . 6 . v . t Pp This trac , of which

copies were printed , led to the obtaining of a municipal charter for the Parliamentary exces borough of Manchester . It became s ivel y rare , and the only copy now known

to be in existence is in the possession of Mrs .

Jane Cobden Unwin . Several Manchester collect ors are known to have been looking t for this trac , unsuccessfully, for many years

past . Two may be mentioned , father and s on v , who ha e vainly searched for a copy ’ M n ins 1 rs . U w since 85 2 . Cobden copy had a place of honour in the Old Manchester Ex 1 hibitionof 904 .

1 839 . Report of the Directors to a Special Meeting of the Chamber of Commerce and Manu factures at Manchester on the Effects of the Administration of the Bank of England upon the Commercial and Manufact uring I nter 1 2 th 1 8 ests of the Country . December , 39 . 8 M 1 8 0 . vo. London , anchester printed , 4 1 6 2 — n A . Pp . M S ote in the handwriting of “ Alderman John Shuttleworth reads : This Richd was drawn up by . Cobden . J. S .

M . F L . .

Fourth edition . London , Manchester

1 8 0 . printed , 4

1 8 40 . ’ For Cobde ns evidence before Parliamentary Committee on Banks of Issue see under 1 8 2 7 .

1 8 1 4 .

Speech of M r . Alderman Cobden , at the Town

Council [of Manchester] , on proposing a Resolution to petition both Houses of Par lia me nt for the Total and I mmediate Repeal “ of the Corn Law . (From the Manchester rd Times , 3 April , Manchester , Pren C a h a ll— t r . A tice and folio broadsheet .

Total Repeal . Speech in the House of Com 1 8 . vo. mons , 5th May Manchester M 8 . . F. L . Pp . 2 th Speech in the House of Commons , 5 August , 1 8 1 e 4 , in support of the Fr e Trade Address 8 1 1 8v . to the Queen . Manchester [ 4 ] . o Pp . “

F L . M . . 8 . . [Also in Speeches M a nu fa étu re rs M illow ners To the , , and other Capitalists ofevery shadeof Political Opinion 1 63 engaged in the various branches of the Cot ton Trade in the District of which Man

chester is the Centre . [Signed Richard 20th Cobden , Manchester , December , 8 FL 8 . M . . Manchester vo. Pp . .

2 1 84 . t Corn Laws . Extrac s from the Works of Pe rronet s ele t e a nd Thomas Thompson , c d

classified by Richard Cobden . Manchester 2 8 8 . . . vo. 45 c 79 ’ 2 th Speech on Villiers motion on Corn Laws , 4

1 8 2 . February , 4 [I n L The Corn aws . Speech in the House of

2 th ‘ 1 8 2 Commons , on 4 February , 4 . Six

nh . tee t thousand Revised . Manchester 2 1 1 2 8 . . 0 mo . 44 a .

Second edition , revised . Manchester 1 2 M 1 2 . . . FL mo Pp . . . - The Land Tax Fraud . Speech of Richard 1 Cobden in the House of Commons , 4th 8 2 1 . . 1 8 2 March , 4 Manchester, Gadsby [ 4 ] . ' J 8 2 2 a z 1 2 . . . l mo Pp 7. 3 . . 1 8 1 2 . 8 . The Tariff Speech , th April , 4 Man 8 2 8 1 vo. P . M F L chester [ 4 ] . p 4 . . . . h Our Colonies . Speech in t e Hous e of Com 2 2 nd 1 8 2 mons , June , 4 . Manchester

8vo. M FL . . . 1 64

Total Repeal . Speech in the House of Com 1 mons on Monday , 5th May Man

8v . chester o. M . F . L [Also in

Speech at Covent Garden Theatre on Free “ Tra de 2 8th 1 In 8 . S ee ch e s . , September , 43 [ p th Speech at Manchester on Free Trade , 9 “ t 1 8 Oc ober , 43 . [In Speeches . t Speech on the Elec ion for City of London , 1 th 1 8 t . 3 Oc ober, 43 [I n 1 8 44 . 8 P Speech at London on Free Trade , th ebru

1 8 . ary , 44 [In

Tenant Farmers and Farm Labourers . Speech 1 2 1 8 on the th March , 44 , on moving for a Select Committee to inquire into the effects of protect ive duties on imports upon the in r s ts te e of tenant farmers and farm labourers . 2 1 8 . 8v0 . . . Manchester : J . Gadsby [ 44] Pp 3 8 1 35 . dd . 9 . Corrected report of the speech in the House of 1 2 1 8 Commons , th of March , 44, on his mo tion for a Select Committee to inquire into the effect s of protective duties on imports upon the interests of the tenant farmers and

farm labourers in this country . Second

1 8 . 8 1 1 . . . vo. edition , 44 39 f 43 [Also in

Speeches . 1 66 8th Speech at London on Free Trade , May , 1 844 [I n 2 6th Speech in the House of Commons , June , ’

1 8 . 54, on Mr Villiers Motion for the Total 1 8 Repeal of the Corn Laws . Manchester [ 44] . 8 M — v . . . E . L . o. Pp 4 The date is a mis 1 8 print for 44 . rd Speech at London on Free Trade , 3 July , 1 8 44 . [In 2 th Speech at Manchester on Free Trade , 4

t 1 8 . Oc ober , 44 [In l 1 th Speech at London on Free Trade , De

ce mbe r 1 8 . , 44 [In

1 8 45 .

1 th Speech at London on Free Trade , s Janu

1 8 . ary , 45 [I n

Agricultural Distress . Speech in the House 1 1 8 of Commons on the 3th March , 45 , on moving for a Select Committee to inquire into the Extent and Causes of the alleged

existing Agricultural Distress , and into the Effect of Legislative Protect ion upon the w I nterests of Lando ners , Farmers , and Farm 6 8 . 8 1 1 vo. . . Labourers . Manchester [ 45] Pp

M . F L . . [Also in on 1 8 Speech at London Free Trade , th June , “ 1 8 . 45 [In Speeches . Speech at Manchest er on 2 8th t 1 8 Oc ober , 45 . [I n -o n 1 Speech at Birmingham Free Trade , 3th 1 8 “ November , 45 . [In Speeches . a 1 Speech at London on Free Tr de , 7th De b 1 ce m er 8 . , 45 [In

1 Speech at Manchester on Free Trade , 5th 6 r 1 8 . Janua y , 4 [In

Letter to the Tenant Farmers of England . C [Signed , Richard obden , London , 3oth

8vo. January, Manchester E L “ M . . . [Also in Speeches . 2 th Speech in the House of Commons , 7 Feb 8 6 ’ ru a r 1 R . l y, 4 , on Sir Pee s Motion for a Committee of the Whole House on the Corn

8 6 . . 8 o . 1 v Laws . Revised Manchester , 4 . M L “ 6 . F. in. ch e 1 . S ee s Pp . . [Also p . th Speech at Manches ter on Free Trade , 4 6 “ 1 8 . July, 4 [I n Speeches . Banquet offert a Richard Cobden par la So i ciete des E conom s tes le 1 8 aout 1 846 . Ex du m s du E cono iste . trait No . 57 Journal des

1 8 6 8v0 1 1 . . Paris , 4 . . 39 k 37.

Association pour la liberté des échanges . Pub ’ f lica tions de lA s socia tion. Banquet of ert a l 1 er 1 8 e 6 . D is Richard Cobden Septembre , 4 1 68

’ ‘ r 6th 1 8 8 . menta y Reform , July, 4 [I n

6 Re f rmTra s . Financial o ct . No . The National

1 8 . Budget for 49 , by Richard Cobden , Esq ,

in a Letter to Robertson Gladstone , Esq . with a report of the public meeting held in 20th e the Concert Hall , Liverpool , D cember, 1 8 84 . London : Standard of Freedom

f 1 6 . 8 o . o fice . v . Pp 1 8 49 .

Reform and Retrenchment . The Speeches of T Cobden . . . Richard , M Gibson , and J Bright , ree Tra de H a ll onWednesda Esqs . , in the F , y

1 0th r 1 8 . re evening, Janua y, 49 Specially 8 . vo. ported . Manchester, Chas Chorlton . 1 2 Pp . . [Also in

Speech in House of Commons on Free Trade ,

8th 1 8 . March , 49 [I n Speech in House of Commons on Foreign

1 2 th 1 8 . Policy , June , 49 [In 8th Speech at London on Foreign Policy, “

t 1 8 . . Oc ober, 49 [In Speeches

Speech at London on Parliamentary Reform , “

2 6th 1 8 . . November, 49 [I n Speeches 1 8 Speech at Leeds on Free Trade , th Decem

1 8 . ber , 49 [I n M P Speeches of Richard Cobden , Esq . , . . , on

Peace , Financial Reform , Colonial Reform , 1 70 t 1 8 and other subjec s , delivered during 49 .

Printed by permission of, and kindly revised '

by M r . Cobden . London , Charles Gilpin . 8 . v0 . . Liverpool , G Philip and Son . Pp xii “ 2 — 2 i . . . s v : 5 The colophon , Li erpool J R

Williams , Printer , Whitechapel , and the re fa ce da te d l s t 1 8 p , 3 December, 49 , is signed

J . R . W . The speeches included are : De of fence the National Budget (Manchester, l oth January) ; Reduction in National Ex e nditure 2 6th p (House of Commons , Feb rua ry) ; Burdens of Real Property (House of 8th e Commons , March) ; Vindication of Fre

Trade , Financial Reform , etc . (Wakefield , 1 1 1 2 th th April) ; Financial Reform (Leeds , April) ; International Arbitration (House of 1 2 th Commons , June) ; Ordnance Estimates 1 8 (House of Commons , th July) ; Russian 2 rd I ntervention in H ungary (London , 3 July) ; Two Speeches at Paris Peace Con gress (23rdand 2 4th August) ; Austrian 8th t Loan (London , Oc ober) ; London Peace Meeting (3oth October) ; Forty- Shilling 1 Freehold Franchise (Birmingham , 3th No ve mb e r 2 6th Re , also London , November) ; viva l t of Protec ion , Special Burdens on

Land , Financial and Parliamentary Reform , - Extension of the Suffrage , and Forty Shil 1 71 1 8 ling Freeholds (Leeds , th December) ;

Colonial Reform , Extension of the Suffrage , and Forty-Shilling Freeholds (2 0th Decem 1 8th 1 8 8 ber . Letter ( December, 4 ) to the

Liverpool Financial Reform Association .

l 85ofl the Speech on the Russian Loan , delivered at 1 8 London Tavern , th January . London , “ 1 8 0 8v 2 2 o. 8 . . 1 5 . 3 a 3 . [Also in Speeches .

Speech in House of Commons on Finance , “ 8th 1 8 0 . . March , 5 [I n Speeches Speech in House of Commons on Foreign 8th 1 8 2 0 . Policy, June , 5 [In 1 Speech at Wrexham on Peace , 4th Novem “ 1 8 0 ber, 5 . [I n Speeches .

1 8 1 5 . 2 2 nd Speech at Manchester on Education , “ 1 8 1 January, 5 . [I n Speeches . Speech at Manchester on the Policy of the 2 rd 1 8 1 Whig Government , 3 January , 5 . [I n “ Speeches .

Speech in House of Commons on Education , 2 2 nd 1 8 1 May, 5 . [In Speech at the Fourth Monthly Soirée of the National Parliamentary and Financial Re

26 th 1 8 1 . form Association , May, 5 London 8v M F o. . . L . 1 72

' e Tra de th Sp ech at Aylesbury on Free , 9 Janu 1 8 ary, 53 . [I n 2 th Speech at Manchester on Peace , 7 January, “

1 8 . 53 [In Speeches .

Speech in House of Commons on Finance, 8 “ 2 8th 1 . April , 53 [In Speeches . ln 2 th Speech H ouse of Commons on I ndia , 7 8 “ 1 . J une , 53 [I n Speeches . Report of the Proceedings of the Peace Con

t 1 8 . ference at Edinburgh , Oc ober, 53 With

the Speeches of Richard Cobden . London .

8 2 . . 2 . 8v0 . 4 5 c 5 8 1 1 . . 793 and 53 , in three letters [First edition ]

-

W . 1 8 . London , and F . G . Cash , 53 Demy - 8 0 . v 2 v Pp . 9 . Rid Second edition . London , James g 8 1 1 1 8 . vo. 0 8 8 . . way, 53 Pp . 4 . 3 c

. 8 8 o. P l o. 1 v . Third edition , 53 . p 4

New edition , revised , with a preface . 8 8 1 . vo. London , [Farringdon printed] , 53

c . 8 1 38 . 8 1 8 . vo. Fourth edition . London , 53 8 “ e . . 802 6 . e [Also in Political Writ

ings . : [Another edition . ] Manchester Re

1 8 8vo. printed by Alexander I reland , 53 .

2 . Pp . 3 Address to the Mechanics ’ Institution at I 74 Barnsley on the Re-opening of the New

t H 2 th t 1 8 . Lec ure all , 5 Oc ober , 53 I n British Eloquence of the Nineteenth Cen

tury . Literary Addresses . Second Series ,

8v 1 2 0 . . 1 2 . 1 8 o. London , 55 5 b There does not appear to have been a is pamphlet edition , but it printed in the “ Annals of Barnsley . [Also in Speeches .

1 854. Speech in House of Commons on Russian “

Wa r 2 2 nd 1 8 . , December, 54 [I n Speeches .

1 8 55 . Speech in House of Commons on Russian h 1 t 8 . War, 5 J une , 55 [I n

1 8 6 5 . ? 1 8 6 . 8 vo. What Next and Next London , 5 8 0 . 802 . Pp . 5 . b

. . 0 . . Rid Fifth edition Pp 5 London , J g

8 6 v . 802 . 1 . 8 o 6 1 2 way, 5 d . . [Also in Political Remarks on the Law of Partnership and

Limited Liability . By W[illiam] S[haw] P M . Lindsay , Esq . , . , and Richard Cobden , 6 2 E s . 1 8 . 8 . . 8 vo . q , M P . London , 5 Pp

6 6 . 1 Contains two letters by Cobden . 37 . b 5 . I 7S 1 8 57.

Speech in House of Commons on China War , 2 6th 1 8 February , 57. [I n 1 8 Speech at Manchester on Russian War , th “ 1 8 March , 57. [I n Speeches .

1 8 59 .

On the Probable Fall in the Value of Gold .

By Michael Chevalier . Translated from the

French , with a Preface by Richard Cobden . C 1 8 o. . Manchester, Alexander I reland , 59 8vo - 1 6 82 2 — . Pp . xvi 9 . 3 . b . 53 . . 8 8 . v 1 o. Third edition Manchester, 59 - M 1 6 . . F. L Pp . xvi 9 . Speeches at Rochdale on Parliamentary Re 1 1 8 8 1 . form , 7th and th August , 59 [I n “ Speeches .

860 1 . P . M . Letter from R . Cobden , Esq , . , to M r .

Alderman H ealey, Chairman of the Con

s tit u tiona l a . Defence Association , Rochd le

th 1 860 . Paris , 4 June , Rochdale , Robert fl - — Lawton . Crown folio , y sheet . This is preserved in an elect ion scrap—book in the

Rochdale Free Library .

1 86 1

2 6th Speech at Rochdale on Foreign Policy, “

86 1 . 1 . J une , [In Speeches 1 76

1 86 2 Sixth edition . London , . [Also in

Political Writings . ’ l H is toire Les Trois Paniques , Episodes de ’ lA n la is Contemporaine . Traduit de g , par ! 2 8 1 86 . vo. . avier Raymond . Paris , Pp

6 2 . 8 8 1 1 . 3 h .

1 863 .

Speech of M r . Cobden on the Foreign En listme nt A ct , in the House of Commons , 2 th 1 86 8 0 86 . 1 . v . . 4 April , 3 London , 3 Pp 2 8 1 . 8 . 5 3 . cc 86 8 1 vo. Second edition . London , 3 . 8 1 b 38 . . 86 8v 1 8 . 1 o. 8 . Third edition London , 3 . 3 “ b . [Also in Speeches . 2 th Speech at Rochdale on American War, 4

1 86 . November, 3 [I n 1 86 4 . 2 2 nd r For Letter on Land Question , Janua y , 8 1 86 1 . 4 , see under 73 " on: Fina nce Speech in House of Commons , “ 1 86 2 2 nd . July, 4 [I n Speeches “ M r . Cobden and the Times , Correspond

ence between M r . Cobden and Mr . De w lane , editor of the Times , ith a Supple

mentary Correspondence between Mr . Cob

den and [Thornton Hunt , writing on behalf “ of] the Editor of the Daily Telegraph . 1 78 d . a n Co 1 86 Manchester, Alex I reland . , 4 . 8 1 8 8 . . v0 . . Pp . 35 3 cc For Speech on Government Manufacturing s ee 1 86 Establishments under 9 . 2 rd Speech at Rochdale on Foreign Policy , 3 1 86 November, 4. [I n 1 86 7.

Waugh (Edwin) . Home Life of the Lanca shire Factory Folk during the Cotton Fam 6 . 1 8 ine London , Manchester printed , 7. — ’ 8vo. C obdn Includes Mr . e s speech on the 2 th formation of the Relief Committee , 9 1 86 2 April , . 868 1 . Une Solution Prompte ! Congres ou Guerre : ’ précédé d une lettre de Richard Cobden .

8 . 8026 . 1 868 . vo . Paris , g

1 869 . t Government Manufac uring Establishments . Speech of Richard Cobden in the House of 2 2 n 1 86 d . Commons , July , 4, etc London , 6 82 ee . 8vo . . 1 86 . 9 . 4 4 1 2 87 . t Bishop Berkeley on Money . Being Extrac s

from his celebrated Querist , to which is added Sir John Sinclair on the Return to

1 8 1 . Cash Payments in 9 , and M r Cobden on the Evils of Fluct uation in the Rate of I 79 Discount . By James Harvey, Liverpool . 1 8 2 8 — vo. . o. London , 7 . Pp 4 This contains ’ at page 38 C obde ns statement before the Parliamentary Committee on Banks of Issue 1 8 0 in 4 .

1 8 73 .

Mr . Cobden on the Land Question . London , - 1 8 . 8v . . . 73 o. C T 355 (7 Written by Cob 2 2 nd r 1 86 den , Janua y , 4 , and published in “ the Morning Star , under the signature

of R . S . T . See also the next entry .

Ouvry (Henry Aime) . Stein and his Reforms

in Prussia , with reference to the Land Ques

tion in England , and an Appendix contain

ing the views of Richard Cobden , and J . S . ’ Mill s Advice to Land Reformers . London , - 2 — . 8 . 1 . 8 . 66 . 1 873 vo Pp . xii 95 77 b . This re contains the above letter , which was published in the “ Daily News and in the th Times (7 January , I t deals with the question of primogeniture and the di

vision of the land .

1 876 .

Fact s for the Present Crisis . Richard Cobden

on Russia . Reprinted from the original Pamphlet published in 1 836 under the name “ of A Manchester Manufacturer . Third 1 80

V l o . the New York Public Library . viii , N O 1 . (January,

A PPRE C IA I I I . B IOGRAPH I ES AND

TI ONS .

(Arranged alphabetically . ) A ohn Richard Cobden a ndthe Free pj ‘ M A ohn. e . mor Traders . [By L pj ] ” of C e ntu r vol able Men the Nineteenth y, . iv . 60 1 8 1 0 . 1 88 1 . vo. . [ , etc ] bbb - Armitage Smith (G . The Free Trade Move i s 1 t . 8 8 . 8vo ment and Results London , 9 . - 2 . Pp . viii 44 Ashworth Recollections of Richard Cob i A nti— den and the Corn Law League . 1 8 8v0 London , Manchester [printed] , 77. .

8 1 8 . a a . 3 5 . 8 [Second edition . ] London vo;

2 8 1 8 1 . Pp . 95 . 3 . de .

Bagehot (Walter) . Biographical Studies .

Edited by Richard Holt Hutton . London ,

- 1 88 1 8 o. . v Includes a memorial notice of

. 1 86 Cobden written in 5 . H Balfour (Right on. Arthur James) . Essays 1 8 —A . t and Addresses . Edinburgh , 93 p . 8 1 . 5 , Cobden and the Manchester School - La w Bisset (Andrew) . Notes on the Anti Corn 1 8 2 Struggle . London , Williams and Norgate , 0 1 88 8 vo. . . 4 . Pp 3 5

Bright (Right Hon . Speeches delivered in Bradford on the occasion of the inauguration of the Cobden Memorial with a sketch r - of the histo y of Cobden , the Anti Corn

Law League . Revised by Mr . Bright . Lon do 8 8 n vo. 1 8 . , [Bradford printed , 3 d f. 5 .

Bullock (Thomas Austin) . Richard Cobden .

(A study for young men . ) London , Simpkin ,

. 8v Marshall and Co o. Pp . 47. 1 08 1 2 1 7. cc . .

Cobden (Richard) . An Account Current of the Cobden National Tribute Fund to 2 h 1 8 8 t . 9 April , 4 . [Manchester , pp M F . . L . C obde n(Richa rd) : sein Leben und sein Wirk Fre iha ndl r en . Von einem e und Friedens

. 1 86 freunde Bremen [Norden printed] , 9 .

8v 1 08 1 . . o. 7 bbb

Cobden (Richard) , the Friend of the People .

The story of his life told for popular reading . P 8 1 8 . vo 1 6 0 . 1 8 1 . 0 . . . London [ 77 ] Pp . 3 b

Cobden (Richard) . A New Song to the Memory E s P . M . . of R Cobden , q , A street “ ballad . It is reprinted in Curiosities of 1 83 Street Literature , London , Reeves and 8 1 6 . Turner , 7 Cooke (Frances An English Hero ; the

story of Richard Cobden , written for young

Co. people . London , Sonnenschein and ,

8vo. . 1 886 . 0 1 0 1 1 60 . . . Pp 3 . b 35

Dino Carina ( Riccardo Cobden . (Elogio . ) 1 86 1 2 . . 1 08 1 . a a . 1 Firenze , 5 mo 7 5 .

Duff (Mountstuart E . Grant) . Teachings of 2 0th Richard Cobden . Address December,

8 1 8 o . 2 . 1 v . 7 . London , Cassell and Co . Pp 3

Issued by the Cobden Club . H Dunckley ( M ) Richard Cobden and the Jubi

lee of Free Trade , etc . By H . Dunckley, P .

- Leroy Beaulieu , Theodor Barth , Leonard

Courtney , [and] Charles Pelham Villiers .

With Introduction by Richard Gowing .

1 8 6 . 8vo. London , T . Fisher Unwin , 9 Pp .

6 . 2 2 2 08 . . 1 4 5 f .

Dyer (George Richard Cobden . London ,

1 6 . Dyer Bros . 1 6mo . Pp . One of “

1 80 . the Penny Popular Biographies . 0 3

a 6 . a .

Six Men of the People , etc . Richard

Cobden . By G . H . Dyer . London ,

. D . 8 1 080 . a a yer Bros v0 . 3 . (2 )

[Edge (F . Richard Cobden at Home . 1 84

' FOHOWCI S u t Edited , with an I ntroduc ion ,

. . . 1 0 by F W H London and New York , 9 3 . 8 —2 0 . vo. Pp . xxv 5

Hobart (Vere H enry, Lord) . The M ission of Richard Cobden Reprinted from Mac ’

. 8 o millan s Magazine London v .

1 a a . 8 39 . z ndorff H olt e (F . von) . Richard Cobden . von H o tz endorff R l . . F . von Virchow ( ) and Holt - i ma ns d f ndrff V et or . z e o (F . v ) Sammlung ge meinversta ndlich er wissenschaftlicher a Vortr ge , herausgegeben von R . Virchow 6 ndrff. 1 8 6 H oltz e o . und F . von Berlin , , etc

- 8 o. . . 1 v Series I Heft 7. his I n Memoriam . Richard Cobden , Life and

8vo. 1 08 1 Times . London 7. cc .

Johnson (Joseph) . Life of Richard Cobden : the Apostle of Free Trade and Champion Ri h s f of the g t o the I ndustrious Classes .

1 6 . Manchester 8vo. Pp .

Kretzschmar (Auguste) . Richard Cobden , der Apostel der Handelsfreiheit und die j ungste s ta a tsokonomis ch e Revolution in Gross

britannien . Nach der besten englischen und 6 1 2 fra nz o is che n 1 8 . s . . Quellen Grimma , 4 mo 82 - 6 45 . a . 9 . I nt roduc Levi On Richard Cobden . An t ’ tory Lec ure , delivered in King s College , 1 86 “

1 86 . 8 e tc . 2 vo. 8 0 . London , London , 5 5

bb . 1 0 .

M a c u nn t C (John) . Two Lec ures on Richard

Cobden , delivered before the Liverpool and ’ District Bankers I nstitute (Session 1 904

8 . vo . 1 0 . p 37 Liverpool , 9 5 Ma c Gilch rist (John), of London . Richard

Cobden , the Apostle of Free Trade , his

Political Career and Public Services . A

Biography . [Illustrated with photograph s ] 1 C0 . 86 . . 8v0 . London , Lockwood and , 5 Pp

- 2 1 08 1 . a a . 2 . vii 94. 7 5

M a c G ilch ris t . (John) , of London H et Leven

van Richard Cobden , den Apostel van V n E elsch . . rij e nHandel . Uit het g door E C

ha dd1 86 . . . . S c Mackay Amsterdam , K H , 5 8 8v . 2 o Pp . 3 . Mallet (Sir The Political Opinions of

Richard Cobden . London , Macmillan and - 8008 . a a a . C 1 86 . 8vo. . 6 . o. , 9 Pp viii 4 6 1 8 . Memorial Verses on Richard Cobden , 5

NO . (Cobden Club Leaflet ,

M ongredie n(Augustus) . H istory of the Free

Trade Movement in England . London - 8 1 88 . vo. viii

M orley(Right Hon . John) . The Life of Richard 2 v a nd Cobden . ols London ,—Chapman 2 06 . . 8vo. 1 88 1 . Hall , 4 f This has gone 1 87 “

through nine editions , and has been trans

lated into French by Sophie Ra ffa lovich .

!

' 1 8 0 . American edition , Boston , 9 Popular - 8 . 6d . x 23 . . . ( ) ed in one vol x iii 9 5 London ,

1 0 . Unwin , 9 3

Parkinson (Rev . H . W ”) Richard Cobden . A t c Lec ure delivered in the Public Hall , Ro h 2 th 1 868 . dale} 7 February , Reprinted from ” the Rochdale Obse rver . Rochdale Ob ”

1 8 . server Office 8v0 . Pp .

Prentice (Archibald) . H istory of the Anti 8 2 1 8 . vo. Corn Law League . London , 53 - 0 — vols . Pp . xii 43 and 444 . This , although infor not a biography in form , is a mine of ’ mation respect ing Cobde ns public work .

Richard Cobden . (From the Daily News

2 nd N O . of April , Pp . 4 . Leaflet , xlv

of the Cobden Club . a Ve rvi r Richard Cobden e s . Son Buste dédié v aux industriels de Ver iers , par La Société ’ d n mi 1 866 E co o . e . Belge politique Verviers , -8 8vo. 0 xx . This is a report of the proceed 2 th ings at the inauguration of the bust , 7 1 866 January , , and includes a letter from

M rs . Cobden . The copy of the pamphlet in the Manchester Free Library was presented

to M r . John Bright by the Chamber of e Commerce of Vervi rs . 1 88

s s a nd tran lation of variou speeches writings ,

with introduct ion .

'

Scott (A . I n Memoriam . The Life and Labours of Richard Cobden to which is

appended an Account of the Funeral . Lon

1 6 v . 8 o. 1 082 8 . b b . . don , 5 5 33

Sibree (James) . Richard Cobden : Philanthrop a nd a il . ] ist Statesm n H l , London 1 6 1 8 1 0 . . mo . 7. a 49 il Volta (R . Dalla) . Per Centenario di Ricardo

Cobden . [Estratto dal Giornale degli ” 8 1 o . 1 . 0 0 . v . . Economisti Lugli , 9 4 ] Pp 7

1 0 . Roma, 9 4 ’ Wa lck r Cobde ns Volksw irth e (Carl) . Richard s ch a ftlich e und politische Ansichten , auf Grund a e lte re n und neuerer Quellen sys

tema tisch dargestellt . Hamburg [Leipzig - - 82 88 . o 1 2 1 8v . . . printed] , 5 . Pp vi 9 9 . d 35 (7

Watkin (Sir Edward William , Alder

man Cobden of Manchester . Letters and

reminiscences of Richard Cobden , with

portraits , illustrations , etc . London , Ward

P 8 1 08 1 6 . . 1 0 . 1 8 1 . 2 1 . and Lock [ 9 ] . 4to . p g

Welby (Sir Reginald Earle , Baron) and Mallet ’ nd ‘ Cobde ns a . (Sir Louis) . Work Opinions

8 . : 1 0 . vo . London T . Fisher Unwin , 9 4 Pp 8 — P01itica l 4 . This is the Preface to the 1 90 1 0 Writings , 9 3 , with the omission of a few

phrases .

Withers (J . Elegy on the late Richard

1 86 . 8vo M P . . . Cobden , . Manchester, 5 Pp

L . 8 . M . F.

Woods (J . Crawford) . I n Memory of Richard 1 8 Cobden , a sermon [on Isaiah x , , and t 0 . h Matt . xxv , 34, 35 , 4 ] preached 9 July , 6 86 . 8vo. 1 08 1 . . 1 86 . 1 5 Adelaide , 5 bbb

1 5 . (3 )

IV . CO M M E NT AND C RITI C I S M .

(Arranged chronologically . )

1 836 . dn’ “ Analysis of M r . Cob e s Cure for the Russo

phobia . [London , J . Ridgway and Sons , 8 2 8 6 8vo. 0 . e . 3 . 1 8 37. M a n f Russia . I n answer to a Manchester u a c

8 . 8 2 . 1 vo. 80 6 turer London , 37 . g . 33 . 1 8 43 . ’ ’ Isaac M a ydw ell s Analysis of Cobde ns A d ’

o . u R . H . dresses , with remarks M r [ ] Greg s speech at the Great League Meeting at Man 1 8 . 8 o. 1 1 . v . chester London , 43 39 . g 47. 1 8 44 .

On Patriotism . A Letter to Richard Cobden , M P Esquire , and John Bright , Esquire , 1 9 1 P . M . . , or, a friendly remonstrance with them , on what may be truly called their incessant persecution of the prime minister ; another

to the Marquis of Westminster, Earl Fitz

William , etc . By Civis . Manchester , Joseph 2 1 8 . 8vo. Pratt , P—rinter , 3 , Bridge Street , 44 0 . Pp . 5 The letter concludes as follows : 0 h l . . b e servt . Y ur most obdt , John Bridge , 1 8 Crescent , Salford , April , 44 .

A Letter from a Crow to Mr . Cobden . Translated from the original by a North hi m ons r . 1 8 a t e . p Squire London , 44 4to . 1 1 1 39 . g . 3 .

1 8 45 . I s Cobden a traitor for speaking and voting for the Education of Priests ? And ought the League to be broken up ? By a Lan ca s hire Banker Second edition , London , M Cleave . [ anchester , printed by James

8vo. 1 6 . Kiernan . Pp . dric e t B a stia t Fre e . ( ) Cobden la Ligue , ou ’ la gita tionanglaise pour la liberté du com 1 8 merce , etc . Paris [Senlis printed] , 45 . - 26 1 1 . . 1 . 8 . . vo Pp . xcvi 4 39 g 4 1 8 46 . ’ l E s rit Maitre Richard Cobden , ou p ’ Anglais contre l E sprit Francais a propos 1 9 2

the members of the late Anti -Corn Law L th “ eague . By e Author of The Outlines ”

W . of Social Economy [ . Ellis] London , 1 8 8 8v0 2 . 8 0 8 4 . 3 5 . e . .

1 8 49 . Phipps A few words on the three amateur M a cG r or e W . budgets of Cobden , g , and ason n 1 8 M 8v0 . 2 . . . E . L Lo don , 49 Pp . 4 . ’

seua . H oldfast (Harry) , fi A short letter to M r . Cobden in reply to his long s peech ' a t Man

chester from his quondam admirer , Harry

'

8 8vo. 8 1 8 . 1 (1. Holdfast London , 49 . 3 . ‘ John Bull and his Wonderful Lamp . A new

Reading of an old Tale . By Homunculus . With six [coloured] illustrations designed

1 8 M . F. L . by the author . London , 49 . 4to . —A Protect ionist versionof the story of Co-A b - the Aladdin , in which Deen Cotton Co- o f Spinner , or Abdin , plays the part

the evil magician .

' l 8sof ' ’ E x D a Cobde ns nra t . y (G . Co t dic ions

i ‘ D a ’ s t . . trac ed from M r G . G y Letter to the “ ” 0f 2 th Morning Herald 7 March ,

f l 806 . . 1 . s h o . S . k 5

1 85 2 .

Somerville (Alexander) . The Whi stler at the 1 94 Plough and Free Trade . By Alexander

Somerville , one who has whistled at the 1 8 2 8v0 Plough . Manchester , 5 . .

An Address to Messrs . Cobden and Bright , showing their total u nfi tne s s under a mon

archy , for members of Parliament , and that

they are , and have long been , the greatest

banes and plagues of Society . By John

Bridge . Manchester [Joseph Binns Nor 8 2 — 1 8v . . o . manton] , 5 . Pp 7 The first page “ of the letter is printed as follows : M r . ’ Bridge s Letter . (This Letter was originally written to the Editor of the ‘ Manchester 1 8 Hulme Place , Salford , June , ’ 1 85 2 3 1 8 53 .

Richards (A . Cobden and his pamphlet 1 1 8 [ 793 and 53] considered , in a letter to 1 8 . 8 o. 8 1 8 . df . v . Richard Cobden , etc 53 3

Marsham (John Clark) . How Wars arise in ’ Cobde ns I ndia . Observations on M r . Pam phlet entitled The Origin of the Burmese d 8 o . 2 . 8oz 2 . . 1 8 . v War . London , 53 . Pp 7 A letter to Richard Cobden in reply to “

1 8 . 1 793 and 53 . By a Manchester Man 8 1 8 . o 8 1 v . 8 . . Manchester , 53 3 f 1 8 54 . Cobdenic Policy the I nternal Enemy of Eng I QS land . The Peace Society, its combativeness ,

hi . . s M r Cobden , secretiveness Also a nar ra tive of historical incidents . By Alexander Somerville One who has whistled at the 8 8 1 . vo. 1 0 London , 54 Pp . 4 . — M F. L . . Somerville announced as in pre “ ’ pa ra tion C obdens H istorical Errors and

Prop hetic Blunders , but this did not

appear . The Slanderer Exposed A rejected letter of remonstrance to the Manchester Courier ” on its attempt to damage the Conservatives by harbouring a renegade from the Anti Corn Law League ; or a few words on Somer C obdnic ville and his e Policy . By G . F .

Mandley . Manchester, Cave and Sever , 8 8 o 1 v . . 1 . 54 . Pp 4 1 8 57. ’

seua . Lammer Moor, fi Bowring, Cobden , and

China, etc . A memoir by Lammer Moor .

8 . 8 . 2 2 1 vo 80 . . Edinburgh , J . Menzies , 57 d

1 859 . ’ Mr . John Bright s Speech in support of Richard

Cobden , Esq . Wrigley and Son , Printers by ” Steam Power, Rochdale Four — — columns on demy folio fly sheet . This is preserved in the Election Scrap-book in the

Rochdale Free Library . 1 96

para la Reforma de los Aranceles de

' Aduanas . La Gaceta Economista . Madrid , 8 1 6 . 8 v0 . 1 88 . 5 Pp . Cobde ne n A Ricardo , testimonio de respetuosa n admiracion , los librecambistas espa oles . 1 86 Madrid , Mayo de 5 . Contents I ntr d ion ' . o ucc M a ria Pa s tor . I , por Luis 2 . Ricardo Cobden , por Segismundo Moret

y Prendergast . m 3 . Ulti o rasgo de la prevision de Cobden ,

por Emilio Sancho .

Cobden moralista , por Laureano Figue

rola . I nfi ue ncia de Cobden en la politica de

I nglaterra , por Joaquin Maria San

roma .

Cobden economista , por Santiago Diego

Madrazo .

Cobden partidario de la paz universal ,

por Conde de Ripa lda . t Cobden hombre prac ico , por Antonio

Maria Segovia . or Ricardo Cobden y la Liga , p Enrique

Pastor y Bedoya . I l O . Cobden y e tratado de comercio franco

. . l . inglés , por J M A onso de Beraza t I I . Cobden . La reforma del Ac a de nave a cion S re g , la del istema colonial , y s ulta dos generales de la libertad de

comercio en Inglaterra , por Felix de

Bona .

1 2 . . Cobden , por José Maria Orense 1 B a s tia t 3 . Cobden y , por Gabriel Rodriguez . 1 4 . Manifestaciones con motivo de la muerte

de Cobden , por José Monasterio y

Correa .

1 . 5 Cartas de adhesion . 2 0 Quarto . Pp . 5 , with Original Portrait .

Manuscript in possession of the family . 1 8 77. D Pu se le . . y ( ) and Son The Critical Review, - 8 8v0 . . or , Past and Present . Demy Pp vi 9 , “ bdn’ C o e s . containing Legacy London , 8 1 77. Written under the pseudonym of

Frank Foster . 1 88 5 .

Pope (J . Buckingham) . The Curse of Cobden ,

or , John Bull versus John Bright . Second

8 . 88 8 . 1 vo. edition . Edinburgh , 5 . Pp 5

I NSWORTH a w tne ss indifii cultie s 1 0 . , i , 5

A l ta s ers 2 . e t ,

n e rson 1 A d 4. nsh 1 2 r w c tow 0 . A d i k ip , sh w ort h e nr a ndthe ncor ora t onof o ton A (H y) i p i B l , h oma s 6 ttw oo 0. A d (T , 3 , 5

ca e b o n 2 a ot a vo t e . B ll d d y C bd , 5 nn rma n a v a 88. B e (D id) , r 8 re us s offi ce of b orou h r ev a our o ert 8 e e e 8. B b (R b ) , ; f g , a r er e nr 1 0 B k (H y) , 5. a rrow a mes 2 B (J ) , 9 . n e sw c oh 1 . B i k (J ) , 9

a nch ohn 1 . Bi i (J ) , 9 m n rch A er a . Bi ( ld ) , 47 rm n ha m ncor ora t e 6 Bi i g i p d , 3 . n m 1 2 o a 0. B lli g (Willi , h a r 1 2 o ton ourt e e t 1 20 ter 0. B l C L , ; C , B orou h re eve 2 8 g , , . t n 1 2 ra or a r of or of th e a nor of re a o to 0. B df d (E l ) , L d M G B l , r ht ohn 1 2 B ig (J ) , 3 . h ert on ose h 2 rot . B (J p ) , 5 m rda nd a nch e ster ha r e r 1 1 8 rou h a o t . B g (L ) M C , 4, n ohn orou h ree ve 1 2 6 8 1 0 row b 0 . B (J ) , g , 9 , , 7, 9 , 4 u n h a m u e of 1 c 0. B ki g (D k ) , 3

a c r n n n us r 1 1 o t t . C li p i i g i d y , 3 ndr on unc a ha rte r 8 1 2 a e e . 0 . C ll (W . R ) M i ip l C , 9 , h a m n a me s 1 1 6 a . C p (J ) , ’ h s s n s ff a 26 a rt t a d omen u r e . C i W S g , h or ton-u on- e oc ormer hor t on Row C l p M dl k (f ly C l ) , 3, 9, 55,

o en ch a r 8 s e rve s on ourt eet 1 1 1 6 C bd (Ri d) , 9 , 99 ; C L , , ; ‘ “ ” a o nt e a fi e a re r 1 t c et for sou 20 a t a t on pp i d , 9 ; i k p, ; gi i ” for unc a h a rt e r 2 ncor ora te our orou h ! M i ip l C , 4 ; I p y B g 2 02 vn 2 1 2 re r nt 0 t e a c s m e re r nt a , 4, 5 ( p i , 3 ; yp f i il p i , a ca e orme r 2 de scr t onof th e ourt e e t 0 R di l R f , 5 ; ip i C L , 4 ; re e re nce t o a mes roe 6 uest ons a dre sse t o f , by J W , 4 ; q i d d ow n e r of toc ort 66 s ee ch e s in a vour of T Cl k S kp , ; p f unc a ha rte r 6 s e e ch in re on h a rte r M i ip l C , 7; p ply C , 93 ; re e re nce t o h im ohn oh e rt te w a r for f by J D y , 93, 94 ; S d ’ ue e ns rth a 1 0 t a e s e t t on for ncor ora t on Q bi d y , 3 ; k p i i i p i t o on on 1 0 re re se nt s ncor ora tors a t n u r 1 0 L d , 4 ; p i p i q i y , 5 ; e sc r e s t he ha rte r n u r 1 0 his w or for t h e d ib C i q i y , 7; k h a rte r 1 20 a uthor of ncor ora t onsche me 1 1 6 e e te d C , ; i p i , ; l c ounc r 1 1 rma n 1 1 P 1 1 6 rese ns o e . . t C ill , 5 ; Ald , 5 ; J , ; p a ve to a or 1 2 2 me m e r of or ora t on 1 8 - 1 8 g l M y , ; b C p i , 37 44 , 1 2 2 s e ech on orn a w s 1 2 a re ss a t ourt e e t ; p C L , 3 ; dd C L of 1 8 1 2 t oc ort e e t on 1 2 8 w h not se e te 4 5, 4 ; S kp l c i , ; y l c d t o re re se nt a nch e ste r 1 2 8 a ndth e c ott on a m ne p M , ; f i , 1 2 a ndth e re a t w th ra nce I res ence s a nd 3 ; T y i F , 33 ; id w or in a nc hest e r 1 a ndth e ncor ora t onof o ton k M , 34 ; i p i B l , - 1 20 o en o ra h 1 1 . ; C bd Bibli g p y , 55 99 o oc 66 8 1 C pp k , .

orn a w s 0 1 1 . C L , 5 , 7

ourt e et of th e un re of a or . C L H d d S lf d , 3 ou rt e et of a nch e ste r 2 no e ra s a ow e 0 C L M , , 39 ; Lib l ll d , 9 ; nof ne ffi c e nc 2 1 s n e c a ra t o a t me e t 1 2 . d l i i i y , ; l i g, 4 f a rd ourt e e t o o . C L S lf , 3 hn ow a n Sir o 8. C ( J ) , 4 ross e a mes re re se nts a nt -cor ora tors a t n u r C l y (J ) , p i p i q i y ,

h a e n s . a or 1 1 2 1 0 c e . . 5 ; ll g J E T yl ,

sse nte rs e c u e rom a nche ste r ove rnment 8 1 Di x l d d f M G , 4 , 5 , 8 6 7 . 9 n E ll a l‘ l o os es unc a ha rte r 0 1 o . Dix ( j ) pp M i ip l C , 7 , 79 , 9 , 97 - D o mu z z e r 2 6 . g l , , 4 5 4 oh e rt ohn s eech a a nst unc a ha rter D y (J ) , p g i M i ip l C , 93 n ’ re e re nce t o o e Cobdens re . f C bd , 93 ; ply , 94 ue ec ne 1 1 2 D l d li d , . e r a ndncor or . . a t onof o ton 1 20 Dy (J C ) i p i B l , .

E a rw a ke r 1 2 (J . 5.

e r uson ohn 1 6 8 F g (J ) , 9 , 7, 9 . inne a na nt - ncor ora tor 1 0 F y, i i p , 5. i o h o a s 1 Fl nt ff m 0 1 0 . (T ) , 5, 7

son h oma s ne r 1 2 Gib (T Mil , 9 . don e a or nde r 1 0 . G (Al x ) , 5 ou cha rd 1 0 a ca r a a ns he h r r t t a te 1 1 . G ld (Ri ) , 3 pl d g i C , 3 ra h a m oh n 1 1 G (J ) , 3 .

rote eor e 2 6 . G (G g ) ,

H a dfi eld e or e . (G g ) , 4 d ohn a r a n . H l (J ) , 3 R hn 1 a r e r o e rt o 1 . H p ( b J ) , 9 i h e n on unc a r 2 H e e l s te ha te r . (S p ) M i ip l C , 9 e ron Sir ose h a o nte fi rst ow n e r 1 1 H ( J p ) pp i d T Cl k , 5. nsh u me t ow . H l ip , 3, 9 ohn b orou h reeve a ndre turnn offi r e c e 1 1 0. H yd (J ) , g i g ,

ncor ora t on n u 1 1 e r 0 0 . J bb i p i i q i y , 4 , 7

Ka e a n er on unc a ha rter 8 1 2 1 2 y (Al x d ) M i ip l C , 9 , 4, 5. 6 1 1 Ka a mue 1 . y (S l) , , 7, 9

a nca sh re c otton a m ne L i f i ,

a ve n e r te h en 88. L d (S p ) , ne 1 1 6 L ee a . (D i l) , s ohnM e lla dew 8 e e 8 . L (J ) , e h a me s e a th 1 L ig (J H ) , 7.

Le a e rs ra te a e rs . yp y p y , 3 204

ht n a e w a rd 88 8 s ee ch a a nst unc a Nig i g l (Ed ) , , 9 , 99 ; p g i M i ip l h a rte r 8 C , 7. o a a ron 1 02 N d l (A ) , . u sa nce s res nm n 1 e t e t . N i p , 3, 9

’ nnell a n O Co e 60. (D i l) , ne ord Oversto . (L ) , 47

a tte n son 1 1 P (Wil ) , 9 . Pe rs i n ount I g y (C ) , 33. e t e r oo 8 P l , 37, 3 . ’ h s ir e or e a nd o ns su ffr 2 S w me a e . P ilip ( G g ) g , 7 h s a r 1 0 . P ilip (M k , 3 ’ a c nc s n ns su ff e 2 6 e ra a dw ome ra . Pl (F i ) g ,

Po ce a rra n e me nt s dur n th e h a rte r cont rove rs 1 1 . li g i g C y, 7 o oc Sir re e r c o nononva t of a nch e ste r P ll k ( F d i k) , pi i lidi y M ha rte r 1 1 C , 9 . otte r Sir ohn 1 2 2 P ( J ) , . otte r Sir homa s 88 1 1 8 fi rst a or of a nch e ste r P ( T ) , 4 , , M y M , 1 1 re se nte dw th a ve o en 1 2 2 a ndncor 5 ; p i g l by C bd , ; i ora tionof o n to 1 20. p B l , nc hes r 1 2 2 ott er homa s a e t of a ve to a t e . P (T B yl y) , gif g l M , ounde r 2 P , . r nt ce rch e a 2 88. P i (A ib ld) , 4,

r ce a v 1 1 1 0. P i (D id) , 9 , r nce e e nt 8 P i R g , 3 .

a w son a rr 1 2 R (H y) , 5. n a 1 2 a w so m . R (Willi ) , 9 e a a m onth e unc a r n 1 1 6 o ora t o . R d (Willi ) M i ip l C p i , ’ ushton w a r re a ra t onof Vote rs st 1 1 1 R (Ed d) , p p i Li , 3, usse or ohn 0 1 1 6 1 R ll (L d J ) , 3 , , 33. n 1 utt er v. h a ma 1 R C p , 7. utte r ndh h r r 1 1 . . a t e a te 1 1 . R (W S ) C , 7, 9 206 a or a nor . S lf d , 57; M , 3

a w e a me s 1 . S l y (J ) , 9

S ch ole fi eld osh u a 6 . (J ) , 3

m son eor e 1 2 . Si p (G g ) , 3

m th e or e 1 0 . S i (G g ) , 5 - toc ort e e t on 1 28 1 1 . S kp l c i , 3

a t a m 1 0 . T i (Willi ) , 7 a or a me s 8 8 : s e ech a a nst unc a ha rte r T yl (J ) , 9, 9 p g i M i ip l C , 8 3. nes ue 1 1 2 a or ohn w a r e c a . T yl (J Ed d) , d li d l , - h oma s e ut onsta e 1 . T (D p y C bl ) , 9 n homa s or of the a nor of tt e o ton 1 20. Tippi g (T ), L d M Li l B l ,

ra ffor h oma s ose h 26 . T d (T J p ) ,

n n n 11 2 U w a ne o e v . i (J C bd ) , , 5

n s Vestr mee t . y i g , 3

Wa ithma n rma n e . (Ald ) , 47 h in a our of n a e r . . s e e c v u c a ha rte r 8 1 . W lk (C J p f M i ip l C , i 1 2 a t n S r w a rd . W ki ( Ed ) , 9 n n of on a nch e ste r ha r r 1 e to u e te 1 8. W lli g (D k ) M C , s 8 Will 4 . son e or e 1 0 a ndncor ora t on of o ton 1 20 Wil (G g ) , 5 ; i p i B l , rcu a r w th a c s m e a s to th e ncor ora t on of M a n Ci l , i f i il , i p i che s e r 6 6 t , . ’ ’ ome ns uffra e : Cobde ns v e w s 26 W S g i , . ro a me s 8 0 s e , 9 , , , O o e s ncor ora t on 6 W (J ) 9 97 99 pp i p i , 4 , 1 0 s e ec h a a nst unc a h a rte r 8 re e re nce s 5 ; p g i M i ip l C , 4 ; f t o o e n 8 8 86 C bd , 4, 5, .

se Sir homa s 8 . Wy ( T ) , 5 HI SWI K PRE SS H A RLE S WH ITTI NGH A M A ND C C C CO . T KS U RT H A N E R! LA NE L ND N OO CO , C C , O O .