3232

Lrg OF OOBDRY.

[ORAZ

1842. made by the House of Commons iteclf, that we the Anti
£2.86. Corn Law party were pot defeated, but virtually swindled
and plundered of our trinmph at the hustings.” 7
With reference to the first of the two themes which 18
here suggested, Cobden always felt keenly the wrong part
taken throughout the struggle by the clergy of the Est
blishment. The rector of the church which he was in the
habit of attending, Saint John’s, in Deansgate, appealed
him for help towards an Association for providing ten new
churches in Manchester. Cobden in reply expressed W#
opinion of the project with wholesome frankness :—
“It will be always very gratifying to me to second your
charitable efforts to reliove the distresses of our poor neigh
bours; and if I do not co-operate in the plan for benefitting
the destitute population on a large scale by erecting ten new
churches, it is only because, in the words of the appeal, 1
‘ differ about the means to be adopted.” You, who visit the
abodes of poverty, are aware that a great portion of the
working population of Manchester are suffering from 89
insufficiency of wholesome nourishment. The first and mos?

! To Mr. Bright, May 12, 184%. Tn the following number of the Anf¥
Bread-Tex Circulor (May 1%), avticlss on the two subjects here sug’
gested by Cohden, duly appearsd. * The clergy of the establishment
says the writer, with good strong plainness of speech, “would do well
reflect upon their position in this matter. They have, with very fo¥
axceplions, upheld to the nitermost the unnaboral system, which, after
working during a period of Swenty-seven years, causing more or less of suffering
 throughout the whole of ita existence, has at length brought the
nation to the verge of ruin. They have almost to a& man been the ever”
active agents and allies of the monopolist party, and their restless energy
in the worst of cases hag been mainly instrumental in carrying into office 8
Ministry whose only pledge was that the interests of the nation should P8
held subservient to the interests of the land and colonial monopolists . « +
We foar that any aftenipt to raise contributions from the clergy, or by thet
agency; oan only subject that body to the charge of gross ignorance or
gross hypoorigy. . . . , Their conduct contrasts strongly with the nobl®
sfforte of the Christian ministers who last yorr a:sembled in Menohester
in Carnarvon, aod in Bdinburgh, to dsolare their entire abhorrence of 59
anjast and murderous gysiem by which mulsitudes of honest and industrion!
men are made to suller wrongs mors grievous than can sasiiy he dasarined