Page:History of the Anti corn law league - Volume 2.pdf/296

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
282
AN AGRICULTURAL DEMONSTRATION.

certain as its determination is firm and its principles are impregnable." By the treasurer's accounts, which were afterwards read, it appeared that the sum of £82,735 3s. 5d. of the fund of £100,000 proposed to be raised, had already been received, and the chairman explained, that when the proposal of levying the sum of £100,000 during the past year was first launched, they had it in contemplation to raise a large portion of that amount by a bazaar, to be held in Covent Garden Theatre, but that bazaar had not yet been held, The amount received, therefore, he said, was quite as much as they had anticipated; they proposed still to hold the bazaar, and he had no doubt the amount then received would carry them far beyond the sum originally expected. The announcement made, that as the funds stood, after deducting all the expenses of the leviathan agitation, there was yet a balance in band of £26,675 19s. 9d. "was received with loud and reiterated bursts of cheering." Afterwards Mr. Milner Gibson, Mr. Bright, Mr. Edward Baines, jun. of Leeds, and Mr. Lawrence Heyworth, of Liverpool, addressed the meeting on the cheering prospects of the cause, when the proceedings terminated.

The Agriculturists also had their meetings, and were very valiant-after dinner. On Thursday, January 23rd, the first dinner of the Sussex Agricultural Protection Society took place at Brighton. At an early period of the day & private meeting of the members of the society was held in the Town Hall for the purpose of receiving the annual report, and appointing a committee for the ensuing year. Mr. W. Burrell, the secretary, read the report, after which the usual routine of business of such meetings was despatched, and the members separated. Afterwards, about 300 persons, members of the society, sat down to dinner in the Ship Hotel. The duke of Richmond presided, and the Duke of Norfolk acted as vice-president. Amongst some of the most distinguished persons present, were noticed, the Earl of Egmont, Earl of Sheffield, Earl