I> 3

OPERATIONS OF THRE LEAGUX, 351

federation which kept both the Whig advocates of a fixed 1845.
Tuty and the Protectionist advocates of the existing law in Er 41
der, In the last week in the year a meeting was held at
Manchester, at which it was resolved to raise the enormous
mg pf quarter of a million. of money for the purposes of
*Ritation, The scene hag often been described, how one
Ua after another called out in quick succession, “A
thousang pounds forme!” “A thousand pounds for us!”
fd go forth, until, in less than s couple of hours, sixty
thongang pounds had been subscribed on the spot. There
Vere twenty-three persons or firms who put down ome
housang pounds each, and twenty-five persons half as
Muck, Cobden, who was always received at every public
8athering daring this stirring crisis with an indescribable
"ehemence of sympathy and appiause, addressed a few
Oras go the excited and resolute men before him. This
oeting.» he said, “will afiord to any Administration the
best Possible support in carrying out its principles. If Sir
Bohors, Peel will go on in an intelligible and straightforward
"use, he will see that there is strength enough in the
“Ountry t, support him ; and I should not be speaking the
“Ntitients of the meeting, it’ I did not eay that if he takes
the Siraightforward, honest course, he will have the support
of the League and the country as fully and as cordially as
"7 other Prise Ministor.”*
At thie time circumstances naturally began to work a com-Plot
 change in Cobden’s attitude towards Sir Robert Peel.
Uhre weeks befors, when the Minister left office, Cobden
hag allowed the excitement of the hour to betray him inte
Pui, Sxpressions of exultation, which were almost ferociona
0 that severity. Miss Martinean has explained how this
foreg outburst shocked some of his friends. They appear, a8
ta “ready been mentioned in another connexion (p. 207),
“wmbioa’s Hickory of the Lsegus, ii #18.