1843.
Ar. 39.

258

LIFE OF COBDAN. [omaf:

you refused to listen to the manufacturers, and I throw 24
you all the responsibility of your own measure. . . The
right hon. Baronet acted on his own judgment, and he **
bained the duty on the two articles on which a reduction of
duty was desired, and he reduced the duties on those or
which there was not a possibility of the change being of
much service to the country. It was folly or ignoranc®
(Oh! Oh!). Yes, it was folly or ignorance to amend 0%
system of duties, and leave out of consideration sugar and
corn. The reduction of the duties on drugs and such thing®
was a proper task for some Under-Secretary of State, dealing
with the sweepings of office, but it was unworthy of 897
Minister, and was devoid of any plan. It was one of the
least useful changes that ever was proposed by any Gover™”
ment. . . . It is his duty, he says, to judge independently’
and act without reference to any pressure; and I must tell
the right hon. Baronet that i is the duty of every honest and
independent member to hold him individually responsible fo
the present position of the country. . . . I tell the right hoo
gentleman that I, for one, care nothing for Whigs or Tories:
I have said that I never will help to bring back the Whigs
but I tell him that the whole responsibility of the Jamentab®
and dangerous state of the country rests with him. 15 ill
becomes him to throw that responsibility on any one at tH
side. I say there never has been violence, tumult, or cot”
fusion, except at periods when there has been an excessi’®
want of employment, and a scarcity of the necessaries of Life
The right hon. Baronet has the power in his hands to do #*
he pleases.”
When Cobden sat down, the Prime Minister rose t0 hié
feet, with signs of strong agitation in his usually impassiv®
bearing. “Sir,” he said, “the honourable gentleman ha8
stated bere very emphatically, what he has more than onc?
stated at the conferences of the Anti-Corn-Law League, that