CHAPTER IV.
DRURY LANE MEETINGS.
On the evening of Wednesday, March 15th, the first meeting of the League was held in Drury-Lane Theatre. Never, in the palmiest days of the legitimate drama, hind pit, boxes, and gallery been so filled. The youthful chairman, George Wilson, was received with enthusiastic cheers, and Mr. Ewart, M.P., had a similar reception. Cobden's incontrovertible argument went home to the heads and hearts of that immense metropolitan audience. He concluded his speech by saying:—
"He could hardly describe the anguish of heart which he felt at finding that the men who were imposing the horrible system of monopoly upon the bread of the people, had actually succeeded in using as instruments for the maintenance of that law the class which suffered most severely from its operation; and that they had hired men from that class to play the part of the bread-taxers in the present great conflict. He felt deep anguish at finding that those poor men had been made use of by designing parties who should have known better than to have employed them, The members of the Anti-Corn-Law League had been assailed as a body Who wanted to injure the working class. Why, if the repealing the Cor Law were to benefit any class, it could only be by benefitting that class through the working class. (Heat, hear.) He took it for granted that whatever amount of corn they might bring into this country, the middle class and the upper class would not eat one ounce more bread than they did now. (Hear.) Who, then, were to consume the extra quantity? The working men, they who now, to the number of five millions, according to Dr. Marsham, were 'rejoicing in potatoes.' (Hear) The working men must consume the corn. They would be set to work
