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 CHAPTER X.

THE QUESTION BEFORE PARLIAMENT.

Previous to the next movement in parliament the following meetings were held in Covent Garden Theatre:—

February 1st.—Chairman, Mr. Wilson; speakers, Dr. Bowring, Colonel Thompson, and Mr. Bright.

February 8th.—Chairman, Mr. Wilson; speakers, Mr. Villiers, Mr. Cobden, and General Sir De Lacy Evans.

February 15th.—Chairman, Mr. Villiers; speakers, Mr. Hume, Mr. Christio (M.P. for Weymouth), and Mr. W. J. Fox.

February 22nd.—Chairman, Mr. Wilson; speakers, Mr. James Wilson, Mr. Daniel O'Connell, (whose speech excited great enthusiasm) Mr. Geo. Thompson (who had recently returned from India), and Mr. Moore.

February 28th.—Chairman, Mr. Wilson; speakers, Mr. Henry Ashworth (of Bolton), Mr. Milner Gibson, and Mr. Bright.

March 6th.—Chairman, Mr. Villiers; speakers, Dr. Bowring, Mr. J. T. Leader, M.P., and Mr. W. J. Fox.

In the House of Lords, on Monday, March 11th, the Earl of Radnor presented the county of Somerset free-trade petition, which raised considerable discussion. As it was impossible to deny that a free-trade petition had been adopted at a great county meeting, all efforts were directed to show that the majority at the meeting had been