Page:History of the Anti corn law league.pdf/414

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398
SUBSCRIPTIONS.
likely to exceed that sum. (Hear.) So they saw what a capital estimate they had formed of the spirit abroad. They had not waited for the country to respond; they said, 'We'll spend the money first—we'll put ourselves in pledge for it, and we'll trust to our bread-eating countrymen to take us out of pawn.'"

Meeting of the League, November 17th, addressed by chairman, who announced that arrangements had been made to send deputations to a number of the large towns, Mr. W. B. Watkins, Mr. W. Harvey, the Rev. W. Roaf, of Wigan, Mr. Thomas Gisborne, of Derbyshire, Mr. Thomas Bazley, jun., and Mr. John Brooks.

November 24th. Addressed by the chairman, who gave an account of the progress, throughout the kingdom, of arrangements for collecting £50,000, and announced a subscription of £100 from Mr. E. Lombe, a landowner in Norfolk; Mr. Hickin, the secretary, who read a great many letters announcing movements, gave an account of the labours of eleven lecturers, and stated that the council had ordered 50,000 tracts to be stitched up with the magazines for October, 60,000 in the November numbers, and 120,000 in the numbers for December; the Rev. Mr. Hawkes, of Kendal Mr. John Bright; Mr. Acland; Mr. R. R. Moore and myself.

November 22nd. An important meeting in the Manchester Town Hall, attended by about 500 of the principal merchants, spinners, and manufacturers, machine-makers, and other large employers of workmen of the town and neighbourhood. Robert Hyde Greg, Esq., in the chair. The meeting was addressed by Mr. Benjamin Pearson, Mr. Acland, Mr. Moore, Mr. E. Munn, Sir Thos. Potter, Mr. Cobden, Mr. Bright, the Mayor (Jas. Kershaw, Esq.), and others. Thirty-six gentlemen were appointed to canvass for subscriptions to the £50,000 fund. Mr. Munn gave in his name for £250; the Mayor for £200; Mr. E.Armitage for £100; Mr. Thomas Ashton, of Hyde, for £200 Mr. John Brooks for £300; Mr. William Bickham for £100, and on behalf of his brother, £100; Mr. James