In spite of Mr. Cobden's exciting exhibition on his own
stage, the Peace meetings about the country continue to be compara- tively unsuccessful; perhaps because they are a transparent "hum- bug." They profess to antagonize a " War party,' and demand that there should be " no war" ; while there is in fact no War party, and no proposal to make war. The demand of those who are called the War party is, that our permanent defences should be sufficient to shield us from the necessity of making war. But the pseudo Peace party care for no chance : come what may, they would rather run the risk of giving an invading expedi- tion turnpike-tickets for all England, than pay a shilling towards its repulse.
If we judge by the tone of the most influential papers that usually support Free-trade Liberalism, Mr. Cobden has not im- proved his position as a leading statesman by his disingenuous style of arguing, his egotistical references to himself and his travels, or his coarse allusion to the Duke of Wellington as super- annuated : the last escapade is felt to be false in fact and taste, vulgar and heartless.
