History of the Anti-Corn Law League

CHAPTER I. 1843.—Opening of the Free Trade Hall—the £50,000 fund—meeting of deputies and their names. CHAPTER II. The great gathering—M. Kohl's description of the League—the workers of the League—opening of Parliament—Lord Howick's motion for inquiry—Graham's principle of common sense. CHAPTER III. Sir Robert Peel's fear of assassination—mournful scene in the Commons—doctrine of responsibility—Lord Howick's motion for inquiry—refusal of inquiry—Thomas Carlyle on the Corn Laws—Free Trade Hall meetings—addresses to Cobden. CHAPTER IV. Meetings in Drury Lane Theatre, and a witness* description of them—Cobden,-James Wilson, W. J. Fox, Joseph Hume, and Dr. Bowring—opinion in London. CHAPTER V. Movement in the agricultural districts—Mr. Ricardo's motion—Sir Robert Peel's admissions—Mr. Villiers' motion for a committee—the Commons a bear garden—Cobden's speech—-the division. CHAPTER VI. Meetings of deputies in London—county meetings—monopolists defeated—meeting in Scotland. CHAPTER VII. Blight's return to Parliament—the prorogation—deputation to the agricultural districts, and their triumphant progress—address of the League to the people of the United Kingdom—first Covent Garden meeting—meeting at Liverpool. CHAPTER VIII. Mr. Pattison's election for London—adhesion of Mr. S. J . Lloyd and the monied interest—Earl Fitzwilliam—the £100,000 fund—the League " a great fact"—the Post and the Herald—signs of progress at the end of 1843. CHAPTER IX. 1844.—The Marquis of Westminster's adhesion—a League deputation in Scotland—West Riding demonstration—Morpeth's speech—the whig shibboleth—meeting of Parliament—the address. CHAPTER X Meetings in Covent Garden Theatre—Mr. Cobden's motion for inquiry—the debate—Covent Garden meetings—South Lancashire election. CHAPTER XI. Mr. Villiers' resolution for repeal, and the debate thereon, CHAPTER XII. The debate continued—Sir R. Peel—Mr. Bright—the division, and list of the minority — condition-of-the-country debate — Lord John Russell. CHAPTER XIII. Incendiarism in the agricultural districts—rick-burners' logic—Northampton meeting—defeat of O'Connor. CHAPTER XIV. Dudley election—Mr. J. B. Smith at Walsall—occupations of the people—registration movement—forty-shilling freeholds. CHAPTER XV. Covent Garden meeting—the Norwich Weaver Boy to Sir R. Peel —Free Trade Hall meeting. CHAPTER XVI.1845.—Preparing for Parliament—annual meeting of the League—agriculturists prophecy of ruin—meeting of Parliament, February 4th. CHAPTER XVII. The budget—Cobden's motion for inquiry into alleged agricultural distress—the grease and lard debate. CHAPTER XVIII. Death of Sir Thomas Potter—Covent Garden Theatre meetings—the great bazaar—the periodical press on the bazaar. CHAPTER XIX. Lord John Russell's resolutions and his fixed duty shibboleth—the debate—the weather becoming bad. CHAPTER XX. Mr. Villiers' motion for repeal—the debate—the evasions—the division—the progress made. CHAPTER XXI. The harvest prospects—meeting of farm labourers—Covent Garden meeting—Free Trade Hall meeting—Mr. Ewart's motion on butter and cheese—review of the session—alarming prospects of the weather—the potato rot. CHAPTER XXII. Lord John Russell's letter to the citizens of London—Lord Morpeth's letter to Mr. Baines—startling announcement by the Times—resignation of Peel's ministry—return of Peel to office—£250,000 fund. CHAPTER XXIII. 1846.—The new measures—the debate on the motion to go into committee. CHAPTER XXIV. The bill in committee—Mr. Villiers' motion for immediate repeal—the division—list of the minority—the bill passed—the League conditionally dissolved—the final triumph.

Biography

Archibald Prentice is one of the members of the Anti-Corn-Law League executive council. W. H. Chaloner.