Page:History of the Anti corn law league - Volume 2.pdf/340

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326
MR. HOUGHTON

Phœnix springing from its ashes, shall we the landowners of England, and we the tenants of England, arise and show, by our determination and by our skill, our desire to do all we can to procure for the people of this country what is necessary for them to eat. (Cheers.) I am more than ever satisfied that the more we extend commerce the better will our produce sell. (Hear, hear.) If you will allow me, I will repeat an anecdote which I heard the other day in Ireland, which will illustrate the fact of which I am speaking; and I hope it will be the means of convincing my brother farmers that they have not that which they think they have under this system. It had a great effect upon my mind, He showing that the more we extend the hand of fellowship to trade, the better will be our own condition. (Hear, hear.) Three years ago, the Irish butter, as it appears, could not be sold. It could not be turned into money; not because there were none to eat it, but because the people of Glasgow, who were the principal purchasers, had nothing to do. (Hear, hear) But within the last month, when I left the shores of Ireland, butter could not be got for money. Glasgow is the consuming place; and the peuple of Glasgow Sily, 'Butter we mast have; and as long as there is employment for us we will be your customers."

In that country, mark you, I met a manufacturer from Glasgow, and those are the words which he stated to have taken place between himself and a person to whom he was selling his goods: 'Pray, don't give us too great an order.' The woman said, 'A large order I must give; for, since you give us such prices for our butters, all our farmers' wives want new shawls.' (Cheers and laughter.) Now, if we only carry out that principle, by letling other nations send us corn, while we try to grow it also, and at the same time are manufacturing for them; if, I say, we go to them to purchase, they will be like the farmers' wives in Ireland, they will want shawls too. (Hear, bear, and cheers.) You need not fear the result, if you can only obtain customers, This has been proved over and over again. In any part of the country where we find manufactures flourishing, and population increasing, there we find land and produce the most valuable. (Hear, hear.) I am sorry for having detained you so long. (Cries of 'No, No,' 'Go on.') If it is necessary for me to say more, I can only declare that I am at your service. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I told you that I had just left the shores of Ireland; I have been told again and again that this Corn Law was made expressly for that country. And now I ask any of you who may be acquainted with it, what is its condition at this moment? (Hear, hear.) Has it there had the desired effect? (Hear, hear.) Has it there made the farmers rich? (Cries of 'No, no.') Has it there increased the happiness and comfort of the people? (Cries of 'No, no.') I tell you that it has not; a gentleman in Ireland said to me the other