What Cobbett did with pen--and no man at that day wrote with greater ability for the common people, or with greater acceptance--Hunt did on the platform.

Both strove to arouse the working class to demand enfranchisement.

Hunt presided at the mass meeting at Peterloo, by Manchester, in 1819--an entirely peaceful meeting which was broken up by the military with some loss of life--and was sent to prison for two years for doing so.

He also was elected M.P.

(for Preston) in the first reformed Parliament.
Again the Government tried coercion, and after Peterloo, for the next few years, intimidation and numerous arrests kept down all outward manifestation of the reform movement.
In spite of this, the movement could not be stayed.