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Leader (1850-1860), 29th November 1851, Edition Town of 1, Page 1128, Untitled Article

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      honouring encouragement steadily to ro on toward that noble aim which the people of the United States has sanctioned and sanctified by its sympathy . " Be pleased , Sir , to accept the expression of my hig hest regards , lasting gratitude , and most distinguis hed consideration , with which I have the honour to be , " Your most obsequious servant , Kossuth . " United States' steam frigate Mississippi , Bay of Gibraltar , October 14 . "

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      POSITION OF THE FREEHOLD-LAND MOVEMENT . A Conference of the members and friends of the Freehold-Land Union was held on Monday , at the King ' s Arms Inn , Palace-yard , Mr . Scholefield . M . P ., in the chair . There were present also Mr . John William ? , M . P ., Mr . Sadlier , M . P ., Mr . J . B . Smith , M . P ., Mr . Geach , M . P ., Mr . W . Williams , M . P ., Mr . Cobden , M . P ., and Mr . Locke King , M . P . ^ The following report was read by Mr . James Taylor , Secretary of the Union : —

      " The council of the union , in presenting their second annual report , cannot but congratulate you upon the present position of the freehold land movements . Since your meeting in Birmingham twelve months ago , many of the prejudices and objections which existed , have become nonentities , or numbered amongst the follies that were , and the effervescent excitement of some overzealous friends have found their level ; and the grand principles involved in your operations have been consolidated and strengthened , and are now being duly appreciated by all classes . During the year more than twenty new societies have been formed under the most favourable auspices , and a great number of public meetings have been held , fifty-one of which have been he has

      attended by your secretary , and as many more found himself unable to accept invitations from ; and the council have not been in a position to supply the demand : indeed , it appears that had they been enabled to send an advocate , no one would have been so acceptable as your secretary , as his personal attendance is invariably insisted upon . The council again call the attention of the confeience to the absolute necessity of assistance in this department . The council have to complain of the negligence of the secretaries of the societies in not filling up the printed form sent them , by which an accurate statistical table of immense importance could have been supplied to this conference of the various particulars required . There are more than 100

      societies in England and Wales , from 62 only of which returns have been made . Forming , however , our calculations with the greatest care from those received as to the remaining societies , we shall find there are 45 , 000 members subscribing for 65 , 000 shares ; 150 estates have been purchased , 12 , 000 allotments made , £ 400 , 000 actually rereceived , and upwards of £ 2 , 000 , 000 sterling being subscribed for ! These figures , compared with those of last year , show an increase of more than 20 societies , 15 , 000 members , and 25 , 000 shares . The actual receipts have exceeded not only all preceding years , but are £ 60 , 000 more than the total sum before subscribed ; or , in other words , the receipts since your last meeting have reached the magnificent sum of £ 230 , 000 , or nearly a quarter of

      a million sterling . The council require no other facts to impress you with the value and importance of this movement . The council have viewed with much anxiety and care the discussions now going on in reference to the mode of allotting shares , which question they earnestly entreat the conference to coolly and deliberately discuss , and whatever differences of opinion may exist upon this subject , they entertain no fears that you will not let any other than friendly feeling guide your arguments so that the issue may lead to ( if practicable ) a uniform mode of allotment . The council refer with exultation to the triumph achieved by freehold land societies in the revising barristers ' courts ; everywhere the most desperate effort * have been made to disfranchise those qualified by these institutions , and

      every where they have signally failed . In Warwickshire , Derbyshire , Hertfordshire , Bedfordshire , Staffordshire , the battles were fought by the opponents with a determination that betruyed a last effort , but all was unavailing , every paid-up allottee waa declared qualified , and their names now grace the registration lists of those counties ; and the council urge upon every gentleman present the necessity of calling the attention of the solicitors , necretaries , and committees of every society , to see that , each qualified man makes his claim . The council feel happy in making known to you that Ireland is likely to be blessed by the freehold-land movement . Already there are being organized in that country institutions applying our principle to agricultural purposes , and this , if properly carried out , cannot but confer upon Ireland u bem-fil that ahull bo lasting in ita eileetB . "

      The report was unanimously adopted . The sum of the business transacted was , the adoption of resolutions approving and recommending the balloting , in piefercnce to rotation system ; recommending the diiferent societies to look sharply after tlwiir registers ; and appointing a committee " to inquire into and report on such alterutioiiB in tin ; existing laws governing the operations of frcehold-lund societies , as it may be expedient to effect . " In the evening Mr . Scholeneld presided over a

      meeting in St . Murtiii ' s-hall . lhe speakers were Mr . Hadlier , M . P . ; Mr . Charles J . attimore , well known an tho free trade tenant-farmer ; Mr . Rogers , Q C , Mr . Cobden , M . P ., Mr . George Thompson , M . P ., Mr . John Williams , M . P ., and M . J . B . Smith , M . P . Tho novel feature in the proceedings of the meeting wan tho Irish freehold-land movement , brought , we believe , for the lirst time bodily upon un Bngliuh . platform . Mr . fcJudlicr wiw » well received ,

      and the project be detailed heartily -welcomed . Mr . Cobden ' s speech , as usual , contained the pith of the things to be said on the occasion . We take three points from his speech . He did not look to the societies for a realisation of his own particular views . " I don't want to be guaranteed that what the members of freehold-land societies may choose to " carry out in the polling booths , will be exactly that which I should myself wish , or should presume to dictate to them . All I want is to seethe full effect of independent , self-respected , and self-acting bodies of constituencies , in those counties which have hitherto been coerced and controlled by certain magnates or large proprietors , and where the mass of the constituency , as we all know , have had no more an honest and independent voice in the choice of their representatives than the sheep or cattle which they sell in the market-place . I there / ore wont violate the rule alluded to by my friend Mr . Rogers , by introducing any of my views on politics . I am perfectly prepared to take my chance with that description of the people of this country who aTe likely to be added to the electoral lists by joining the freehold-land society . ( Cheers . ) And I cannot suppose that it is necessary , in order that the full effects of this movement may . be felt by the politicians , that you should show that you are in a position to win so many counties from their present political proprietors as to influence numerical majorities in the House of Commons . It is not necessary that you should do that at all . There is a lively appreciation of coming influences in this country , which will lead politicians and parties to shape their course in consonance with what they believe is going to be the tendency of things .

      { Cheers . ) It is like what we read of in the description of battles and campaigns with respect to the use of the bayonet in war . An army surgeon will tell you that he has been in many battles and that he never saw a bayonet wound , and for this reason—though the bayonet is a very formidable weapon , it is very rarely that the conflicting hosts approach so near to each other as actually to cross bayonets . There is a sort of moral monitor in the breasts of one or other of them which always tells them , before it comes to that , which is going to win ; and therefore , before it comes to the final shock in the battle-field or the polling-booth , one side or the other is sure to run away . ( Great cheering and laughter . )"

      Turning to the collateral topic of Irish Societies , he made some excellent observations—especially pointing out the arrogance and injustice of a well known cry . " Now , if anything could recommend this movement to me still beyond the prepossession which I had for it before , it would be what I heard today in the conference with reference to Mr . Sadlier ' s views as to adopting the principles of our society with reference to the laws which relate to landed property in Ireland . This shows you all that if you get a good thing it will be multiplying and creating other good things , that it will be running into collateral streams , all having good ends in view , and producing a thousand good things never before

      contemplated . ( Cheers . ) Is it now really a tribute and a compliment to us that an Irish member of Parliament should come over here and hope to find the receipt in our societies for , at all events , ameliorating the unhappy condition of the people of that country ? Far be it from me to lay myself open to the charge that I believe we have got a panacea to cure the ills of Ireland ; but those gentlemen who have studied the condition of that unhappy people , think that , by adopting a principle similar to that which we have applied to the purchase of land in England , they might contrive to distribute among the people of Ireland a portion of that land which is now being sold under the Encumbered Estates Act ; and by

      that means may retain in Ireland some of those people who are now flying to other countries , chiefly urged by the incentive that there they may possess themselves of some land . ( Cheers . ) 1 have seen an objection taken to the proceedings of our Irish frienda—and whatever other arguments may be used to show that it will not succeed , this is an objection which I for one protest against and denounce as abhorrent to every principle of fairness , humanity , and justice . We are told , forsooth , that you must not attempt to give the Irish possession of land and keep them in Ireland , for that the race can ' t raise itself in the scale of humanity—that they must be banished to America or somewhere else . Now , there ' s

      nothing I so detest , nothing I loathe so much aa to hear anybody attempt to close up an argument by the use of that phrase , ' race . ' Why , if the possession of a bit of land is found to have an elevating tendency with the people of any country of the Continent , where the land has become the property of the people , surely we may try whether , if the Irish people become possessed of a bit of land , it might not have the effect of producing selfrespect , habits of frugality , and . increased diligence amongst that people also . ( Cheers ) Race ! They talk of race , and then they try and flatter you , and talk of the Anglo-Saxon race , as if there wern ' t any other ruce before the Anglo-Saxon rac « . Its such an old and vulgar species of / lattery that I think a man insults me when he

      talks of the Anglo-Saxon race , and meant * to say that it must bo infinitely superior to every other . Haven ' t the name arguments been used by every other race ? Were not the Jews the only race at one time good for anything ?—then were not tho Greeks the only race , and ull the reat barbarians ?—then , the Romano were the only race , and so were the Arabians ; * und the Chinese consider themselves the only race , and all the nut barbarians . ( Cheers . ) Why , one would think that Socrates and Plato , and Cicero , and ull those glorious specimens of humanity which one finds in the annals of mankind , bad been An ^ lo-Haxona . Don ' t you be seduced by any such absurd flattery as that . ( Cheers . ) It ' s a very easy way of getting free of the injustice which many think you Uayo iuuioted on Uw Jrisb people , by tigtuaUxiiui them

      as a race . Let us see whether , if they be tnafc . * * it wont be found that , by treatingi Uem JT 5 Si , make them like other men . ( cK 7 1 W * t * y ??' u that it is worth an experiment , whether if tW ' rT ^ men start a society in Ireland for buSni « S £ E ? i otic estates sold in the Encumbered Estate , fcZt ° J } ** distribute them in small farms to some of ffij ?? ^ peasants who are now going to emigrate toTL < h many of them with small capitals at command 1 ° - ' worth the experiment I say , whether that maVS « r duce to the interests of these people , andbJXi COn * from which may springhabiu of industry , and which r ! beget even a body pf proprietary which has «« . ** existed in Ireland , and the establishment of wK' probably have a very beneficial effect upon the J ? 7 surrounding district . ( Appla ^ e . y P Ue whole Everybody , he said , towards * the end of his sneppfc is now talking about the influence of CaliforaianSft on prices . " gwa

      " I am not taking that into consideration . But if th depreciation of the standard consequent upon the in creased quantity of gold should have the effect of raisine the price of any commodities , the operation of that principle is most certain upon those commodities which can ' t be increased in quantity . You may by the increase of your circulation stimulate trade and increase the production of yarns and iron wares , or any other commodities the result of ingenuity and labour : but ™

      may dig gold as plentifully as lead in California or Australia , and you will not add a single acre or a single square yard to the land that surrounds London , Birmingham , or Manchester . ( Cheers . ) Therefore , if men are looking to that as a probable cause of the rise of the price of commodities for the future , then those who purchase the article which we recommend you to buy and sell , will certainly profit by that change in preference to anybody else . ( Loud cheers . ) '

      Mr . James Taylor wound up the proceedings . He detailed the origin of the freehold-land society in Birmingham with great humour , describing how , at the first meeting four years ago , where it was propounded , there were only two persons present , himself and the chairman ; how the whole capital they possessed between them amounted exactly to 2 s . " ; and how they were unable to pay for their first advertisement . Since that period they had so progressed that they had established 120 societies , consisting of 45 , 000 members . They had raised in the last year

      more than a quarter of a million of money , and altogether more than half a million . They had purchased more than 150 estates , and created more than 15 , 000 freeholds , which they had given , and were still giving , to the working population of the towns . ( Cheers . ) The ramifications of the society were daily extending . Wales had been looked after ; Ireland and Scotland had not been forgotten ; and in America and Australia , societies were being founded upon principles analogous to those of the Birmingham Freehold-Land Society .

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      METROPOLITAN INTERMENTS . The Bishop of London headed a deputation of the Metropolitan Sanitary Association to the Treasury on Monday , for the purpose of calling Lord John Russell's attention " to the continuance of interment within the metropolis , notwithstanding the existence for more than fifteen months of an act of P" ! / f ; passed by unusually large majorities , by wmeft ntr Majesty ' s Government were emp owered to rerneuy the evils and guard against the dangers proved to attend the burial of the dead among the living . When the deputation entered they found that Lorci John Russell had called the Chancellor of the exchequer to his aid . f t i . The Bishop of London was the spokesman oi J deputation . He pointed out very distinctly that ui Board of Health could not work the Interments am , that they had not the requisite powers , that tiiw ' been dincovered after the act was passed ana I minary arrangements had been made to carrjr and that , in consequence , many metropolitan pi ^ were placed in the unpleasant position ot ftavi b , graveyard-the old ones being closed andI no ones purchased , because all such grounds were pected to be closed by authority . As maa jtho pointed to Kensington and Lambeth . 11 C *" , other . Government *) decide the question one way or mh , ^ For his part , he thought that burial ou&xtl ° tic . ried on by a Government board . Some oin ^ h fft ( jW men addressed the Premier , reiterating tnt ^^ and arguments ugainst intramural ™ terT ; obser va-John llussell made what he called a lew ilJg tions . They are remarkable , certainly , ior ine Oi difficulties , and laying down a , species of d cf Government

      ^ noninterference by the *» --burial : — miirht sec " " The Bishop of London had said , and it ™ ' » fc 0 tui « very desirable , that the Government «»> oui a ^^ question upon itself ; but then there occur Qq which one could not look at as ^ lon » m « QoVernw ^ ment without considerable pP f c " ^ : na " a * bet ""* that took upon itaelf a question of this kin " , ^ wuH two difficulties : cither it incurred a grtai i f ^ , obliged to come to Farliament to supply me tl tramural Interment for the metropoUs , £ ^ country might very well reply . « Wby , 1 *» odd thllt riohe . t part ot tho whole kingdom , and it w > ^ . all the rest of the country is *«? be taxed tor , torment .. ' But it might be said « £ *""* £ 0 V »* oi Urely avoided l > y making the icguUtfons « w

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      1128 gft * Ht&l * tV . [ Saturday

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 29, 1851, page 1128, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1911/page/4/