Page:History of the Anti corn law league - Volume 2.pdf/132

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
118
FRESH MOVEMENT.

Saturday, September 30th; thenceforward to be a faithful recorder of every movement of the body down to its smallest ramification, and remorsely to demolish every sophistry, every fallacy, every misrepresentation, and every falsehood uttered in defence of monopoly; and there, now, in its three thick volumes, which ought to be found in every public library in the kingdom, is the whole History of the League, during its three further years of struggle, with every argument for and against the principles of free trade. From the commencement of that publication, easily accessible to the future historian, my notices of the movement need to be no more than of such of its phases as marked the onward progress to ultimate triumph.

Previous to the commencement of the great meetings in Covent Garden, the Council of the League prepared an address to the people of the united kingdom, giving an account of what had been done during the year; and the following were the means which were contemplated for forwarding the cause:—

"1. Copies will be obtained of the registration lists of all boroughs and counties throughout the kingdom, and the collection lodged at the Metropolitan Office of the League, as a central place of deposit, to be consulted as occasion may require.

2. All extensive correspondence, by means of the post, and of stamped publications, will be kept up with electors, in all districts, upon matters connected with the progress and success of our cause.

3. It is intended that every borough in the kingdom shall be visited by deputations of the League, and meetings held, which the electors will be specially invited to attend.

4. Prompt measures will be taken to ascertain the opinions of each elector in every borough, with the view of obtaining an obvious and decided majority in favour of the total and immediate repeal of the Coin Laws.

5. Every constituency, whose representatives have not hitherto supported Mr. Filliers's motion for the repeal of the Corn Laws, will be invited to memorialise its members to vote for such motion when next brought forward.

6. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the representation of any borough, the electors will be recommended to put a free-trade candidate in