Richard Cobden and the Jubilee of Free - trade. With Introduc- tion
by Richard Gowing. (T. Fisher Unwin.)—This volume contains four papers and the highly interesting reply of Mr. C. P. 'Villiers, the survivor of the Free-trade leaders of 1846, to the ad- dress presented to him by the Cobden Club. The four papers are a remarkably brilliant essay from the pen of Dr. Henry Dunckley on "The Jubilee of Free-trade;" a paper by M. Paul Leroy- Beaulieu, which, admirable as it is in style, will not satisfy orthodox Free-traders; a vigorously reasoned argument by Dr. Theodor Barth on "A Jubilee of Free-trade and Democracy ; " and Mr. Leonard Courtney's anniversary address. Mr. Courtney is so optimistic that it is scarcely possible to read his utterances without being cheered by them. And yet how can a man keep his ears and eyes open and yet use the language that he does of the United States ? Of what avail are "a kindred tongue, kindred literature, and a common history" to counteract the alienating influences which seem to be growing stronger year by year? Even in the United Kingdom can we hope for a "union which cannot admit of the possibility of disunion " ? It was quite "on the cards" less than ten years ago that one large part of this United Kingdom would be dissociated from the rest in a way that must infallibly have led to hostile separation. And there are states- men who still make such a separation the cardinal article of their political faith.
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