342
1378 OF COBDEN,
FORAY
1848. public interest in their proceedings acquired a new kesnnet®
w= 1, “I had reckoned upon geting home on Saturday,” Cobder
writes to his wife from Stroud (Dec. 4), “but Lord Duo
hae put the screw upon us. We have no alternative bat 1
sleep at his house on Saturday night, in order to attend 8
meeting on the afternoon at his neighbouring town of
Wooton-under-Edge. We could not resist his sppes:
This throws me out in my plans, and I shall not see yO©
till Wednesday. We shall go up to London on Sundsy
afternoon to sleep there, and meet Villiers, and others for 2
balk, and on Monday. we shall go to Notts, next day ©
Derby, and on Wednesday home. The Times newspaper of
to-day, which has just come to hand here, reports that the
Government has determined to call Parliament together the
first week in January, and propose total repeal 1+ If ph
he true, the day of my emancipation is nearer than I
expected. But we must be on our guard, and not expect
too much from the Government. They will attempt 1°
cheat us yeh. Our meetings are everywhere gloriously
attended. There is a perfect unanimity among all classes;
not a syllable about Chartism or any other ism, and not 8
word of dissent, Bright and I are almost off our legs, five
days this week in crowded meetings.”
“ Bristol, Dec. 5, 1845.—I slept last night at Jame?
Rhoades’s, and had many kind inquiries and invitations. We
had a very delightful meeting at Bath in a splendid Tow?
Hall, the Mayor in the 'chair. We are having meeting?
every night, and I see no other prospect now but to ran the
gauntlet every night till the meeting of Parliament. Bub I
* The publication of the Oabinet secret made a wonderful stir at the
time. The Standard and the Herald denounced it as an atrocious fabriod”
tion. Bub the Times stuck to ita text, and laughed nb the two *melsnsholy
prints* who had heen *hobbling about the Corn Laws to the very
Jani,” wonoonscious that the repeal of the Corn Laws was fa thing for
watsmuan to do, not for old women to maunder ahout ?
