pared were read, it was agreed to adjourn the meeting to Stevenson Square. The people then left the Hall, and to the number of at least 5,000, moved in procession through St. Ann's Square, Market-street, and Oldham-street, to the appointed place of meeting, increasing as they went until number exceeded 7,000, and almost filled the square. After several energetic speeches, the meeting was again adjourned till the following Monday evening, that again, if occasion required, there might be a further demonstration of opinion upon the new scheme. In the evening, in the Town Hall, Salford, a crowded meeting was held, at which spirited resolutions in opposition to the measures were passed. A meeting of the Young Men's Anti-Monopoly Association was held, on Wednesday evening, in the Athenaeum, with the same result. On Thursday, the Chamber of Commerce met, and after a spirited exposition of Sir Robert Peel's plan, passed a series of resolutions, that no proposition could be entertained which had not for its basis an entire repeal of all duties on the importation of food. Crowded meetings were also held at Stockport, Rochdale, Warrington, Wigan, and other towns in the district. I find the following in my paper, of February 19th, introductory of reports of these meetings: "The present week has been one of such general excitement, that we do not recollect its parallel for many years and, though we have more space to devote to news than any other weekly paper in the town, it would be impossible to give more than a sketch of the proceedings at the different public meetings, on the subject of the ministerial proposition." Similar excitement prevailed in every manufacturing district of the kingdom, greatly tending to reconcile the agriculturists to the proposed change. They began to think that a 20s. protection when wheat was at 50s. was, after all, a thing not to be rejected. If they did not take that, they might have worse.
