Our Committee about this time thought it would be well to issue a kind of manifesto that would explain our objects, and put forth the arguments in favour of our views and could be used as a kind of campaign literature to be distributed freely throughout the country. It was therefore arranged that a meeting should be held for the purpose of organising a branch of the League at Guelph, and that I should make a speech there that could be printed in separate form for general circulation. Mr. Creighton, of the _Empire_, agreed to send a reporter to take a shorthand report which was to be published in that paper. Mr. Alexander McNeill went to the meeting with me and made an excellent speech, one of many great efforts made by him for the cause. The meeting was held on the 28th March, 1890, and afterwards fully reported in the _Empire_. The meeting was large, the hall being filled, and was as unanimous and enthusiastic as the warmest advocate of Imperial Federation could have wished. The report of this meeting was reprinted and circulated in great numbers throughout the country. The following day Dr. W. George Beers delivered an eloquent and powerful lecture in Toronto in the interests of our cause, which was well received. CHAPTER XV VISIT TO ENGLAND, 1890 In December, 1889, the Council of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce passed the following resolution unanimously: That whilst the Council approve of the objects of the Imperial Federation League as set forth in their circular of November the 13th last, they are of opinion that the primary essential condition of Imperial Federation is a customs union of the Empire. This adoption of the main point in the policy of the Canadian Branch of the League was very gratifying to us. The Annual Meeting of the League in Canada took place on the 30th January, 1890, and there was considerable discussion on the question of preferential or discriminating tariffs around the Empire, although no formal resolution was carried, as direct action at that time was thought to be premature. I moved a resolution: "That this League wishes to urge on the Government the importance of taking immediate steps to secure a universal rate of penny postage for the Empire." This was seconded by Mr. McNeill, and carried. A resolution was also carried against the German-Belgian Treaties which prevented preferential tariffs within the Empire. Lt.-Col. W. Hamilton Merritt suggested that the League should send its organisers to England, as it was there the missionary work would have to be done. Mr. McGoun supported this view, saying that "the policy of the Canadian League should be to send delegates to England to promote the gospel of commercial unity of the Empire."