Page:History of the Anti corn law league.pdf/292

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276
JOSEPH STURGE AND THE SUFFRAGE.

injustice without adverting to the defect of the representative system, to which that injustice could justly be referred. After the conclusion of the business for which the anti-corn-law deputies met at Manchester, and after the chair had been vacated, a meeting was held, Mr. Francis Place, of London, in the chair, to take into consideration a proposal by Mr. Joseph Sturge, of Birmingham, for a movement separate from that against the Corn and Provision Laws, for an extension of the suffrage. It was a strong proof of sympathy with the people, and of respect to Mr. Sturge, that the meeting was attended by nearly all the deputies who had been present till the conclusion of the delegate meeting. Mr. Sturge stated his strong conviction of the necessity of a radical reform, and said that although he had long supposed that a reading and writing qualification, as recommended by Bentham, was the best, he had, since his visit to the United States, been convinced that not only would there be no danger on the adoption of the complete suffrage, but that there was no other effectual means to secure the country from the mischiefs of class legislation. A conversation ensued, in which it was apparent that there was a great desire to promote a movement for thorough reform, provided it could be kept distinct from the operations of the League. It was agreed that Mr. Sturge and Mr. Sharman Crawford, both distinguished for integrity and singleness of purpose, and both enjoying the full confidence of reformers and corn-law repealers, should prepare and sign a declaration, and that it should be sent for signature to some of the leading advocates of free trade throughout the kingdom.

A conference of ministers of religion was opened at Carnarvon, on November 30th, to consider the nature and influence of the Corn Laws, the duties of ministers of the gospel in the then crisis, and to adopt resolutions on the subject. Upwards of forty ministers were present. The sittings of the conference lasted from the morning of