NEW PROJECTS.

231

curing the dependence of countries one upon snother,
Wh inevitably snatch the power from the governments to Zr. 88
Plunge ther people into wars. What do you think of
Changing your plan of a prize essay, from the Corn Law to
“Free Trade as the best humsn means for securing universal
and permanent peace.” This would be a good and appro-Priate
 prize to be given by members of the Society of Friends.
At all events, in any way possible I should like to see the
London Friends interested in the question of the Corn Liaw
®nd Free Trade. They have a good deal of influence over
the City moneyed interest, which has the ear of the Govern-Ment
 2? $

184%.

Besides these tentative projects of new alliances, he
Watched vigilantly every chance of suggesting a point to
tis allies onside. To Mr. Bright he wrote :~
“If you have a leisure hour, I wish you would write an
article upon the subject of the Queen’s Letter to the par-Sous,
 ordering collections in the churches for the distressed.
Here is a good opportunity for doing justice to the Dissent-0g
 ministers, who met last year to proclaim the miseries of
the People, and to propose a better remedy than almsgiving.
The Church, clergy are almost to a man guilty of causing
the Present distress by upholding the Corn Law, they having
themselves an interest in the high price of bread, and their
Present efforis must be viewed as tardy and inefficient, if
“ot hypocritical.
“ Again, show how futile it must be to try to subsist the
farufacturing population upon charitable donations. The
Wages paid in the cotton trade alone amount to twenty millong
 5 year. Reduce that amount even ten per cent., and
bow could it he made up by charity? If you have also
leisurg for another article, make a swingeing assault upon
he lag general election, and argue from the disclosures
} To Harry Ashworth, And) 12, 1843.