Page:History of the Anti corn law league - Volume 2.pdf/19

 The erection of the Free Trade Hall was now nearly completed, but there was no relaxation in the process of instruction, although the space in the Corn Exchange was inadequate to hold the crowds which pressed for admittance. Another meeting was held there January 19th. Mr. Wilson said—"At Glasgow, on Wednesday week, upwards of 2000 persons assembled at the greatest banquet ever recollected to have been held in that city. On that occasion Mr. Fox Maule one of the members of the late yovemment which had proposed an 8s. fixed duty, publicly avowed his opinion in favour of total and unconditional repeal. At Edinburgh a large and influential meeting was held on Friday, when upwards of £600 was subscribed to the League Fund. At Leith, on Saturday, a meeting was held, and since then other meetings have been held at Perth, Dundee, Stirling, and Dunfermline; and yesterday a second banquet was taking place at Glasgow. I mentioned at last meeting that the town councils of Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Dundee, had decided on presenting the freedom of their respective cities to Mr. Cobden, and we learn that Stirling has determined to follow the example."

Mr. Wilson also stated that 70 bales of tracts had been sent out that week, weighing about four tons, and 50 more bales were ready to be sent out. The speakers of the evening were Mr. J. L. Ricardo, M.P., and Mr. Villier's' colleague in the representation of Wolverhampton, Mr. Thomas Thornoly, and Mr. R. R. Moore, Mr. Brotherton, and Mr. W. Rawson.

There needed not the attendance of members of Parliament to attract audiences in the Corn Exchange. Another crowded meeting was held there on Friday, January 27th. Mr. Wilson stated that since they last met, there had been meetings at Hawick, York, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Ashton-under-Lyne, Skipton, Doncaster, Oldham, Bristol, Bamsley, Taunton, and Wakefield; that at Ashton £1,000 had been subscribed, at Doncaster €100, at Oldham 150; and that