The agricultural agitation against the Anti-Corn-law League appears to make
way, so far as extent of territory and multiplica- tion of local societies go ; but we miss some of the most imposing signs of prosperous activity. The meetings are not attended by great crowds—even favourable accounts do not boast of very large numbers. The attendance at the meetings seems confined to land- owners and farmers : we shrewdly suspect, indeed, that among those it is confined to one political party. The working class, the real " people," do not take any share in the agitation ; there is not even a colourable adhesion of " Conservative operatives" to the cause. Money does not flow very freely into the exchequer. It is, with few exceptions, mentioned in very general terms, and in a manner that looks as if the promoters of the movement thought "least said soonest mended" on the subject of pecuniary success. But the most formidable deficiency appears to be that of personal abi- lity and discretion. When the champions who are put foremost make such outrageous blunders about the very nature of the statistics be- longing to their own business, and when they place reliance on mon- strous and silly imputations against the League, they not only fail in their object, but provoke the question, &hat can be the value of a cause which has only such advocates as these ? When prominent persons at these meetings charge the League with incendiary fires, repeat the old and stupid mistake that the League mean to beat down wages, and that they have avowed their intention of spending the new fund of 100,000/. in bribery at elections,—when such mise- rable trash is uttered as the revelation which it is the mission of the agricultural apostles to make, they merely blazon their own in- competency, and disarm their more intelligent advocates in the Me- tropolis. There is something unsatisfactory in seeing a question so ill discussed on one side. With all our desire to have the corn- trade made free, we should like to see the champions of protection set forth their own case with more wisdom.
