hopeless.  They were confounded by the result of the general election, and dismayed at the accession to power of men whom they knew to be thoroughly acquainted with their true objects and intentions, and resolved to frustrate them, and able to carry their resolutions into effect.  The ominous words of Sir Robert Peel—­“I think that the connexion of the manufacturers in the north of England with the joint-stock banks, gave an undue and improper impulse to trade in that quarter of the country”—­rang in their ears as a knell; and told them that they were found out by a firm and sagacious Minister, whom, therefore, their sole object thenceforth must be to overthrow per fas aut nefas.  For this purpose they adopted such an atrocious course of action, as instantly deprived them of the countenance of all their own moderate and reasoning friends, and earned for themselves the execration of the bulk of the community:—­they resolved to inflame the starving thousands in the manufacturing districts into acts of outrage and rebellion.  They felt it necessary, in the language of Mr Grey, one of their own principal men, in order “to raise the stubborn enthusiasm of the people,” (!) to resort to some desperate expedient—­which was—­immediately on Sir Robert Peel’s announcing his determination, early in 1842, to preserve, but improve, the existing system of the corn-laws—­to reduce the wages of all their work-people to the amount of from ten to twenty per cent.  This move originated with the Stockport manufacturers.  We have little doubt but it was the suggestion of Mr Cobden; and are quite prepared for a similar move during the ensuing session of Parliament.  But was not—­is not—­this a species of moral arson?  The Government calmly carried their measure:  the outbreak (which we firmly believe to have been concerted by the Anti-corn-law League) in Lancashire arrived, and was promptly and resolutely, but mercifully repressed; and thus was extinguished the guilty hopes and expectations of its contrivers; and Ministers were left stronger at the close of the session than they had been at its commencement.  They resolved to open a new campaign against Ministers and the Corn-laws—­greatly to augment their numbers and pecuniary resources—­to redouble their exertions, and immensely to extend the sphere of their operations.  They did augment their pecuniary resources, by large forced contributions among the few persons most deeply interested in the success of their schemes; namely, the Lancashire manufacturers—­they did redouble their exertions—­they did extend the sphere of their operations, spreading themselves over the whole length and breadth of the land, even as did the plague of lice over Egypt.  But did they augment the number of their friends?  Not a person of the least political or personal importance could be prevailed upon to join their discreditable ranks; it remained as before:—­Cobden and Bright—­Bright and Cobden—­Wilson, Bright, and Cobden—­Milner