YORKSHIRE TO BE GAINED.
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have obtained him one already—the largest county in the kingdom; we have secured South Lancashire, and that is the most populous district in the whole kingdom."
Mr. Cobden described the counties that might be won, and concluded by saying:—
"We look to the more populous districts first; we say it will not be necessary to gain the whole of them; if we obtain North and South Lancashire, the West Riding of Yorkshire, and Middlesex, the landed monopolists will give up corn in order to save a great deal more. (Cheers and laughter.) There is one other point. Many people may say, 'this is something not quite legitimate; you cannot go on manufacturing these votes.' We reply, the law and the constitution prescribe it, and we have no alternative. It may be a very bad system, that men should be required to have 40 or 50 laid out on the surface of the earth, in order that they should be represented; but the law prescribes that plan, and there is no other. And we say, do not violate the law; conform to it in spirit and in fact, and do so by thousands and tens of thousands, if you can. (Cheers.) There is nothing savouring of trick or finesse of any kind in it; you must have a boná fide qualification. It will not do now, as it did under the old system, to create fictitious votes; there is now a register, there was none formerly. That is where we will stop them; we will put them through a fine sieve at the registration. No, no; under the old system, when the Lowthers contested Westmorland against Brougham—the Henry Brougham that was, you know —(cheers and laughter)—the contest lasted for 14 days, and they went on manufacturing collusive and fictitious votes during the whole period, making them as fast as they could poll. The voters went up with their papers, and the day after the polling put them into the fire, or treated them as waste paper. (Hear.) But things are altered now; you must be twelve months on the register, and be hung up at the church doors for a certain period, before you can vote. Therefore we do not intend to win by tricks, for we are quite sure the enemy can beat us at that. Gentlemen, there is one other objection; they will say you should not tell this, it is very bad tactics. I say you have nothing to gain by secresy. (Hear.) There are tens and hundreds of thousands in this country whose hearts will beat when they see the report of this meeting, and who will read every word of it. Those are our friends. Our opponents will turn their heads away, and will not read what we say. We speak to the sympathising multitude, whose feelings and hearts are with us; and we make an appeal to them, not only to you in Middlesex, but to those who are unqualified throughout the length and breadth of the
