Page:History of the Anti corn law league.pdf/421

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RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LEAGUE.
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consisting of 1,000 or 1,200 persons, which was addressed by the deputation from the League; and at the conclusion of the meeting, a subscription of £470 was made to the fund. (Loud applause.) I merely mention these things in order that you may not suppose that you are doing all-the work.(Hear, hear.) There are many towns who are as zealous as Manchester, though, from peculiar circumstances, they are not able to make quite as much noise on the subject. (Applause.) And if ever it should happen (what I know will not happen) that the people of Manchester should become weary in this good cause, there are other towns which would rise up and establish themselves as the head-quarters of a new Anti-Corn-Law League, and which would carry on the great work that—I will not say—you would abandon. (Applause.) These towns, however, look up to Manchester as the metropolis of this empire at this moment. (Loud applause.) They are not looking to London to lead them on this question; they are not looking to any of the members of the aristocracy to be their leaders on this question. They think that in Manchester is the centre and heart of the great demonstration which is being made throughout the country, in condemnation of these iniquitous laws; and I bid you beware how you deceive the people who are looking up to you, who know the pretensions which you have made, who see what you have done hitherto, and who are confident that you would not do less in future; and I would ask every one of you here for your utmost exertions, in order that you may not disappoint the expectations of those who are relying on your leadership and direction, and who are willing to co-operate with you. (Hear.) I assure you that wherever we go, at every meeting that we address, for my own share, I hide my diminished head. I am humiliated at the manner in which I am treated at these meetings (applause); they look upon persons who come from the Anti-Corn-Law League as the very deliverers of the commerce of their country from the shackles in which it has been so long enthralled.(Cheers.) And thus we see what a responsibility lies upon us. The League has risen from a very small beginning. It had a great truth in hand, however; and that truth has grown and spread till it will soon be admitted by the whole population of this empire. But if the League has grown from so small beginnings to he the great and powerful organization which we can now without boasting say that it is, an organization which we may affirm consists not of a few individuals in this and the neighbouring towns, but which includes within its limits almost the whole of the middle classes and of the working population of Great Britain; if the League has risen so much, and increased so much, the information which the most active members of the League have had aforetime has increased and become more valuable, just in the same proportion.