destitute, and apparently so utterly hopeless, that we seek for no secondary or subsidiary cause. And what aggravates this evil is the fact, that all this misery—this, for the present, hopeless misery—is the gratuitous infliction of our dominant landed aristocracy."
A League meeting was held in Covent Garden Theatre, July 3rd, the assembly being numerous to overflowing: Mr. G. Wilson occupied the chair, and the Hon. Mr. Villiers, Mr. Cobden, and Mr. Bright wore the speakers. Mr. Villiers narrated the history of opposition to monopoly for the last fifteen years, and, arguing from past progress, anticipated final success. Mr. Cobden addressed himself particularly to the question of how far the farmers were with the League:—"He was not so jealous of any of these arguments as he was of one employed in the House of Lords by the Duke of Richmond. That noble duke was always repeating that the tenant farmers of this country had risen as one man against the League. * * Why did these lords and dukes keep continually repeating that the farmers were with them? Their conduct must have arisen from doubts as to whether the farmers really were beguiled and hoodwinked by the professions of attachment of the landowners. But when they affirmed that the farmers spontaneously got up the Anti-League associations, he told them that what they said was not the truth; and they knew that it was not the truth. He would prove his assertion by facts. Take the meeting at Steyning, in Sussex. It was got up by the aristocracy and squirarchy, and if they did not go round and entreat and canvass the farmers to attend, their land agents and lax agents did so; and the tenant farmers were urged, and pressed, and canvassed, with the same diligence as was manifested at a general election. Nay, more; carriages, horses, vehicles of all kinds, even the doer carts were put at the disposal of the farmers, to carry them to Steyning. And what ho said of the Sussex meeting equally applied to any other meeting purporting to be the
