586 LIFE OF QOBDEN. [oma

1862.
AQ

Speech contained a paragraph of a very oblique kind on ae
question which was uppermost in everybody’s mind.
Parliament was of opinion that recent legislation had €0Dtributed
 to the improved condition of the country, and ¥ ot
had at the same time inflicted injury on important interests
then it was recommended by the Queen to consider how 87
it was practicable to mitigate the injury, and to enable the
country to meet unrestricted competition, Writing to 18
wife on the day after the debate on the Address, Cobden
says,—*“ We had a queer tricky allusion to the Free Trade
question in the Queen’s Speech, which brought on a sharp
attack upon the Government last night, and as all parties
are agreed to force the Disraelites, I hope we shall bring
matters to an end soon. It is time we were done with the
question.”
The process, however, took a little time, and was whe
tended with some difficulties. “I am gorry to say ’
Cobden wrote a few days later (November 18), “I think
it is quite impossible under any circumstances that I can
be released before the 10th December. If even the Govern
ment were upset, there would still be certain things to be
done which would take till that time. This has been luckily
a very fine day. I have not been near the line of procession.
 But Sale and Henry Ashworth have both called
since it was over, and they think people are disappointed:
It is the last piece of paganism of the kind that will ever
be performed in this country, for I hear everybody in pPri°
vate in the House (even Tories) condemn it. But nobody
dares to speak out in public.
“You will see by the paper that on Thursday Dizzy i8 id
move an amendment to Villiers’s address, Altogether, what
with this inconsistent declaration of Free Trade principles
coming from their own party, and this escapade of Disraeli’
% The Duke of Wellington's funeral,