but prefers to sell the dearest rights of working men, was forced into silence. A resolution condemning all protection was passed, with only five dissentients, also a vote of thanks to the deputation, and the meeting separated with repeated cheers for the League."
The next movement was upon Alnwick, where the land owners had been using strenuous endeavours to defeat the free traders:—
"Mr. John Bright and Mr. Archibald Prentice, two talented deputies from the National Anti-Corr-Law League, will address the farmers of Northumberland, on Saturday next, at Alnwick. Their auditory, we are quite sure, will be both numerous and attentive, and we are just as sure that the seeds' which will be that day scattered will bring forth goodly fruit in abundance in due season. We shall give as much as possible of the proceedings in a third edition. the mean time, however, and without entering upon the general question, we wish to call the attention of the public to the following atrocious paragraph, which appeared in the Newcastle Journal on Saturday last: 'It is stated that Bright, the anti-corn-law agitator, is expected to visit the wool fair which will be held at Alnwick shortly, in order to scatter the seeds of disaffection in that quarter. Should he make his appearance, which is pot improbable, (for the person has impudence for anything of this sort) it is to be hoped there may be found some stalwart yeoman ready to treat the disaffected vagabond as he deserves.' This abominable invitation to violence, this finger-post to assasination, is published, be it remembered, in a newspaper which was established at Newcastle, a few years ago, under the immediate auspices of the Duke of Northumberland and of Mr. Matthew Bell, the present tory member for South Northumberland. It is well that the public should be acquainted, not only with the paragraph, but with the godfathers of the physical forces publication in which it appeared."—Gateshead Observer.
On Saturday, Mr. Bright and I proceeded across the border country from Kelso to Alnwick, where we found a great audience, consisting principally of agriculturists, many of them landowners and extensive farmers. Notwithstanding the appeal to the physical force of the "stalwart yeoman," we had an enthusiastic reception, and a most satisfactory meeting, Mr. Bright's speech being exceedingly effective. He and I then took different routes:
