THE HERTFORDSHIRE ANTI-CORN-LAW FARMER. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.
Northam, Herts, 8th May 1843.
impres-
sion am sure you will permit me to correct in your columns the mpres-
sion which your observations upon the appearance of Mr. LATTIMORE, " a .Hertford farmer," at the weekly meeting of the League on Wednesday last, at Drury Lane, is likely to create. You say, "There is an unfavourable ap- pearance, too, about the set speech; it is not unlike a regular Leaguer's." Now, as I was, in some measure, the means of inducing Mr. LATTIMORE to take part in the Hertford meeting, of which his appearance on Wednesday was an accidental sequence, I owe it to him to remove the impression your readers would probably receive, that his appearance was a merely got-up scene. When, at my suggestion, the idea of an Anti-Corn-law meeting in Hertford was first entertained, I was introduced by a neighbour to Mr. LATTIMORE, as a farmer of great ability, and one who bad already distinguished himself by his inde- pendence in his own political demeanour and his advocacy of the independence of his order. I was informed, that he was one of those who told the squires assembled at last year's Hertford Agricultural Society, that it was worse than useless to urge their tenants to adopt improved husbandry until they had been secured in the possession of their farms by fair and equitable leases: and I found him to be a man of much information, great originality of thought, and thorough independence ; possessing, at the same time, very considerable power of expressing himself. He is a good, very good farmer : and be at once avowed his strong belief that the tenant-farmers had never received any benefit from the Corn-laws; and entered with me warmly into the endeavour to test the sentiments of the Herta farmers by a meeting to speak against the Corn-laws; for our intention went no further. The distinct resolution against the law grew out of the move made in its favour by the Protectionists.
The result you know. Had you moved much among the agricultural classes, you would not have deemed either a well-turned speech, or a clear announcement of liberal views on subjects connected with their own occupa- tion, " ridiculous." You are, however, quite right in supposing that the change of opinion among the tenant-occupiers, which was shown at Hertford, has been going on gradually. The more intelligent among them have long entertained doubts whether they are really interested in maintaining the Corn- laws ; and recent events have given those doubts a more tangible form.
I learn that one of the effects of the Hertford meeting has been to produce a great many " real converted farmers." I am, Sir, your constant reader and most obedient servant, R. G. WELFORD.
tOur correspondent should quote us correctly. We did not attempt to cast a doubt on the genuineness of the conversion among the farmers ; nor did we ascribe any thing "ridiculous" to Mr. LATTIMORE'S able speech. But we did think that the producing him at the League meeting was likely to raise doubts derogating from the effect of the Hertford meeting, which was calcu- lated to be, and we believe has been, great ; and the very ability of the speech helped to suggest such doubts. An explanation of the facts, which we did not for an instant call in question, does not nullify the appearances ; and we still think it the wiser policy not to place "converted farmers" in a position to be confounded among the ordinary agents of the League.—En.)
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