Page:History of the Anti corn law league.pdf/263

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GEORGE THOMPSON.
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motion was seconded by the Rev. R. Fletcher, and carried by acclamation; and the Kev. Mr. Smith, tutor of Rotherham Academy, moved that it should be presented by the Rev. Dr. Cox, D.D. and L.L.D., the Rev. Thos. Spencer,A.M., and the Rev. Messrs. Atkinson, Chaplin, Massie, Fletcher, and M'Kerrow. The Reverend Dr. Vaughan seconded the motion, and it was carried unanimously.

George Thompson, Esq., was then called upon, came forward amidst the most enthusiastic manifestation of applause, and read an eloquent address to the people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, earnestly exhorting those who were suffering from the operation of the Corn and Provision Laws " to be peaceful and loyal, and to co-operate in all Christian and constitutional efforts to effect their extinction, with patience relying upon the sympathies of their friends and the blessing of the Most High." The Rev. Mr. Hinton, seconded by the Rev. Mr. Massie, moved the adoption of the address. It was agreed to, and ordered to be printed, and circulated throughout the kingdom, an order which was faithfully executed by the League in its wide-spread ramifications, aided by the ministers on their return to their respective congregations, and by the newspaper press, the most influential part of which was now giving publicity to the progress of the great movement, although the "leading journal" had not yet acknowledged it as a great "fact." A petition to the House of Commons was moved by the Rev. Mr. Scales, which concluded with the following prayer " Your petitioners therefore convinced of the sinfulness of these laws, which violate the paramount law of God, and restrict the bounty of his providence ; of their injurious operations on the domestic comforts, and the social, moral, and religious condition of the people of these realms; of the vast amount of evil which they have already produced, and of the fearful rapidity with which they are driving on their injured and suffering victims to despondency or despera-