them in Parliament, out of 658 members. After referring to the reduction of the duly on wool, Mr. Cobden reverted to the case of hides, leather being an article with which the inhabitants of Northampton were well acquainted. The effect of prohibiting the importation of hides would be the same as the prohibition upon wheat-there would not be half enough for general consumption. People would be compelled to wear wooden shoes, or go without, and the trade at Northampton would be ruined. It had been said that there were important interests connected with the Corn Law, and, therefore, that it should not be immediately abolished That point had been well settled at a public meeting by a man in fustian, who asked, "Why do you dispute about doing away with the Corn Law all at once? Did they not put it on allof a ruck? There was a certain duty imposed on French shoes; but the smugglers brought them into this country at half the money; but wheat was a more bulky article, and could not be so dealt with, and the landlords had, therefore, the best of the bargain. Let them, then, have free trade in corn, for they had already done their worst with shoes. There were other questions, no doubt, of very great importance to the country; but let them not endeavour to carry those important points by frustrating the achievement of that which they acknowledge to be a great good. The League would not go out of their way to interfere with any other agitation, but, in any work where the road was long and the journey arduous, man would not be worse off by having plenty of bread procured for him by the way. He himself had voted for the motions of Mr. Dracombe and Mr. Sharman Crawford. With regard to the sugar question, his (Mr. Cobden's) object had always been to get the people as much as possible, and at as cheap a rate; and, for aught be cared for mere political parties, he would sell either whig or tory, provided he could gain for the people a reduction of 1d per lb. in sugar, Mr, Cobden concluded by proposing the following resolution:— 'That the Corn Law and all other laws restricting trade for the benefit of a class, are unjust, and ought to be forthwith abolished.' The hon. gentleman concluded amidst loud cheers.
"Mr. alderman Cotton seconded the resolution.
"Mr. Feargas O'Connor then came forward amidst load cheers from the chartists, and addressed the meeting for upwards of an hour, chiefly vituperating the manufacturers and the Anti-Corn-Law League. He said that the requisition, in pursuance of which he attended the meeting, contained 153 signatures more than that to Mr. Cobden. Be denied in their presence, and that of the Great Ruler of events, upon his honour as a gentleman, and his oath as a man, that he had ever received a farthing, or the fraction of a farthing, from man, woman, or child, whig, tory, or chartist, corporation, or individual, in the whole course of his