. An Anti-Corn-law meeting, numerously attended, was held at Man-
chester on Thursday, in the Town-hall. The Chronicle of this morn- lag fills between six and seven columns with reports of the speeches, delivered by Mr. Mark Phillips, Mr. Holland Hook, Mr. Birley, Mr. Wroe, Mr. Schofield, Mr. Cobden, Mr. Walker, and others. The -Chartists, though simunoned by a placard to attend the meeting, were .represented by a very small minority ; and of the Tories the attendance Was still more scanty. Mr. Birley—who was continually hissed and hooted, and assailed with cries of "bloody Tory !" and " Peterloo ! "—contended that much of the existing commercial difficulty was owing to the neglect of Go- kerne:lent, and that the Corn-laws alone were not to blame. He re- irainded. the meeting of Lord Melbourne's support of the Corn-laws, Mid appointment of Mr. Shell to the Vice-Presidentship of the Board of Trade. He moved an amendment in favour of a moderate fixed duty; and censuring Ministers.
Wroe moved another amendment, in favour of a repeal of taxes Jota all articles of' general consumption. M. Cobden, with much ability, replied to the movers of both amend- ments ; and while he " looked upon it as a mere mockery to make Mr. Vice-President of the Board of Trade," and admitted the general -,pressure of taxation, argued that it was the duty of the meeting, as .inerehants, citizens, and men, to go along with the Chamber of Com- merce for the unconditional repeal of the Corn-laws. Resolutions to that effect were carried by overwhelming majorities. The Anti-Corn-law Festival is postponed from the 9th to the 15th of January—the day before the Electing of Parliament.
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