Immediately preceding the prorogation of parliament, Mr. Cobden and Mr. Bright visited the cathedral city of Canterbury, where great preparations had been made to defeat the free traders; but when they arrived the courage of the monopolists oozed out at their fingers' ends. They had met at the Corn Exchange, Sir Brooke Brydges in the chair, to consider whether they should or should not offer any opposition. A resolution was passed, "That the farmers of East Kent do not consider it expedient to enter upon a discussion of the Corn Laws at a meeting called by or at the request of any person unconnected with the county." No, it was not expedient, it was not prudent. The motion was seconded by Mr. James, the novelist, although he declared he could see through some of Mr. Cobden's fallacies and answer them! In spite of the remonstrances of several persons present, who first desired that Messrs. Cobden and Bright should be invited to discuss the question in the Corn Exchange before the then assembly, and afterwards that they should be met upon their own ground in the Cattle Market, no terms could be arranged, and it was ultimately determined not to meet Messrs. Cobden and Bright, the above resolution being carried with only a few dissentients. Notwithstanding this avowed determination, it was observed that nearly the whole of the assemblage instinctively moved off in the direction of the Cattle Market, where the meeting was then about to commence. The free-trade resolution was carried, with only one or two dissentients, amid loud applause.
Where were the farm labourers all this while? If each farmer at this Canterbury meeting had been attended by four or five labourers, there would have been a majority of countrymen, and the country interest would have been victorious. Time was when the labourers were sent to meet the arguments of the early lecturers of the League with blows; time was when they were employed to ring bells, fire guns, play the fire engines, throw eggs, and
