to all the speakers. Mr. E. Watkin moved a resolution, "That, in the opinion of this meeting, the bread tax is impolitic, injurious, and unjust." It was seconded by Mr. E. Daly.
" The Chairman then asked if any body wished to propose an amendment.
"Dr. Sleigh: Yes; I do.
" A person named Bairstow, a chartist, also expressed a similar intent.
" The Chairman I am applied to by two parties to move amendments ; neither of these gentlemen are inhabitants of Manchester, but I have no objection that they should be heard, if it be your pleasure.(Cheers, and loud cries of No, no.') One of them is Mr. Bairstow; the other is Dr. Sleigh. I will first submit to your decision whether you will hear Mr. Bairstow, the delegate from Yorkshire.
" The meeting instantly, amidst loud cries of 'who sent him here,' decided that he should not be heard.
" The Chairman, addressing Dr. Sleigh : Shall I now put it to the meeting whether it will hear you ?
" Dr. Sleigh : No ; I wish you to call upon them to hear me, as I have been invited.
"A chartist named Connor here said that he was an inhabitant of Manchester and wished to propose an amendment, but he was saluted by a volley of groans and hisses which were continued for several minutes when he retired."
It had been a resolution amongst the O'Connor chartists,acted upon on numerous occasions, that the advocates of free trade should not be permitted a hearing. The natural consequence of this tyranny was, that they were refused a hearing in their turn; and the determination amongst the working men in Manchester, nearly all radical themselves, was the stronger from the belief, that these men were not present from any love to the charter, but as the hirelings of the protectionists. On the intercession of the Rev. Mr. Hearne, Dr. Sleigh was heard, and patiently, until he declared his opinion that the Corn Law was not the cause of distress, when such a storm of disapprobation arose as to furnish him an excuse for retiring. He handed, however, an amendment to the chairman, to the effect that it would be unfair in the meeting to pass
