commencement of this book.

~Anti-Borough-Rate Meeting.~--In 1874 the Town Council asked for power
to lay a Borough-rate exceeding 2s. in the L., but after three days'
polling (ending March 30) permission was refused by a majority of 2,654
votes. The power was obtained afterwards.

~Anti-Church-Rate Meetings~ were frequent enough at one period of our
history. The two most worthy of remembrance were those of Dec. 15, 1834,
when the rate was refused by a majority of 4,966 votes, and Oct., 1841,
when the polling showed 626 for the rate and 7,281 against.

~Anti-Corn-Law Meetings~ were also numerous. The one to recollect is
that held Feb. 18, 1842.

~Anti-Papal Demonstration.~--A town's meeting took place in the Town
Hall, Dec. 11, 1850, to protest against the assumption of ecclesiastical
titles by the Catholic hierarchy. About 8,000 persons were present, and
the "No Popery" element was strong, but Joseph Sturge moved an amendment
for freedom to all parties, which so split the votes that the Mayor said
the amendment was not carried and the resolution was lost.

~Anti-Slavery.~--The first Anti-Slavery meeting held here was that of
Nov. 27, 1787. A local petition to Parliament against the slave trade
was presented to the House of Commons, Feb. 11, 1788. A local society
was formed here in 1826, Joseph Sturge being secretary, and many
meetings were held before the Day of Abolition was celebrated. The most
noteworthy of these was that at Dee's Assembly Room, April 16, 1833,
when G.F. Muntz and the Political Union opposed the agitation; a great
meeting, Oct. 14, 1835; another on Feb. 1, 1836, in which Daniel
O'Connell and John Angell James took part. This last was the first large
town's meeting at which the "total and immediate" abolition of slavery
was demanded. Joseph Sturge following it up by going to the West Indies
and reporting the hardships inflicted upon the blacks under the
"gradual" system then in operation. Aug. 7, 1838, the day when slavery
dropped its chains on English ground, was celebrated here by a
children's festival in the Town Hall, by laying the foundation-stone of
"The Negro Emancipation Schools," Legge Street, and by a public meeting
at night, at which Sir Eardley Wilmott, D. O'Connell, Dr. Lushington,
Edward Baines, &c., were present.

~Anti-one-thing-or-t'other.~--True to their motto, Birmingham people are
always ready to oppose the wrong and forward the right, but what is
right and what wrong is on