240

LIFE OF OOBDEN. [oBAE

1845. compel a reconsideration of the whole question of P yo-&-
 +, tection. After the Edinburgh Letter he considered that thi
step would appear to be a servile acquiescence in the vie"s
of the leader of the Opposition. Still he was prepared
stand to his post, and to run the risk of this reproach, provided
 that his colleagues were unanimous, They were nob £0:
Lord Stanley was intractable, and others in the Government
were nearly as hostile, Thinking, therefore, that he should
fail in the attempt to settle the question, and that after
vehement contests and the new combinations that would be
formed, probably worse terms would be made than if sore
one else were to undertake the settlement .of the questions
the Minister felt it hig duty to resign. That event 00K
place on the 5th of December. For a fortnight the country
remained without a responsible Administration, .
The share of the League in this startling catastrophe did
uot escape Cobden’s eye. The prospect of famine jn Irelsud
had no sooner become definite, than the League at once prepared
 for action. Before the end of October, and before the
first of the Cabinet Councils, they held a great meeting of
many thousands of persons at Manchester, and announced &
series of meetings in the other great towns of the kingdom
The Ministers were quite aware what this meant, and that they
could not face it. Sir James Graham warned Peel that the
Anti-Corn-Law ferment wag abont to commence. It woulds
he said, be the most formidable movement in modern times:
There was a pause for a fow days during the deliberations
of the Government, because everybody expected that each
successive mail would carry to him the welcome decision of
the Cabinet that the ports had been already opened, - And
why were they not opened! asked Cobden, Because the
League was known to be Strong enough to prevent them
from being shat again, If there had been no Anti-Corn-Law
 League in ihe middle of November, the ports