Page:History of the Anti corn law league.pdf/153

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MR. PAULTON.
137

Sheffield Independent.
Sheffield Iris.
Stirling Observer.
Scottish Patriot.
Scottish Pilot.
Staffordshire Examiner.
Star in the East.
Tyne Pilot.
Tyne Mercury.
Wiltshire Independent.

Yorkshireman.

These were the journals quoted from in that one week. Many more might have been named which advocated free trade with much ability and earnestness. Besides the advocacy of free-trade principles, these journals did great service by reporting at length the numerous meetings, at which the Anti-Corn-Law lecturers were now carrying instructions into every quarter of England and Scotland; and agitation was further aided by forwarding to every Anti-Corn-Law Association, for distribution in each locality, the papers which contained these reports.

Mr. Paulton, who, before the formation of the League, had bestowed his gratuitous labours in the cause of free trade, was now earnestly at work under its sanction. On his return from an exceedingly successful tour of agitation in Scotland, where persons of all ranks had crowded to his lectures, a public dinner was given to him at Bolton. in November, by a hundred and twenty persons. Amongst the speakers, besides the guest of the evening, were Mr. J. C. Darbishire, the Mayor of the Borough, who presided, Mr. P. Ainsworth, M.P., Mr. Brotherton, M.P., Mr. Cobden, Mr. J. B. Smith, who had accompanied Mr. Paulton on his tour immediately after the establishment of the Manchester Anti-Corn-Law Association, Mr. Henry Ashworth, Mr. T. Ballantyne of the Bolton Free Press, and Mr. John Bright, of Rochdale, a young man, then appearing for almost the first time in any meeting out of his own town, and giving evidence, by his energy and his grasp of the subject, of his capacity soon to take a leading part in the great agitation.

Dr. Bowring, towards the close of 1839, did much to confirm the Lancashire and Yorkshire manufacturers, in