624 LIFE OF OOBDEN. [oma®:

1885. ing the reception of his speech against the Ministerial policy
Fz. 51. ab the opening of the Session of 1854, Cobden wrote to bif
wife :—* No enthusiasm, of course ;—that I did not expect;
but there was a feeling of interest throughout the House;
which is not bumptious or warlike to the extent I expected;
and not disposed to be insolent to the © peace party.’ In fach
I find many men in the Tory party agreeing with me, After
I spoke, Molesworth took me aside and said he and Glad
stone thought I never spoke better.” The failure, again of
the negotiations at Vienna in the summer of 1855, and the
consequent perseverance in the war, inspired him with 01°
of his most forcible speeches, and subsequent events hav®
made it more completely unanswerable now than it was ever
then. Tt is still worthy of being read by any one who care®
to know how strong a case the Manchester School was able t
make. “The House was very full,” Cobden wrote to Mrs:
Cobden on the following day, “and sat and stood it out most
attentively. Not one breath of disapprobation, and a fair
share of support in the way of cheers. Iwas complimented bY
many members after it was over. Amongst others, Lytton
Bulwer walked across the House to offer his congratulations.
 All this is not fit to be repeated at your breakfast
table as coming from me. Sidney Herbert remarked that
it carried him back again to my old Corn Law speeches ; and
Lord Elcho (formerly Mr. Charteris) has just this moment
come to whisper in my ear that he considers my speech
better than Gladstone’s. The roar of laughter against Moles:
worth at my ‘black and curly’ allusion disconcerted him
sadly. IT met Molesworth in the cloak-room on leaving the
House. We exchanged a bantering word or two. ¢ How are
you?’ said he, with a grim effort at the facetions. ¢HOW
are you?’ was my reply, After turning from me he fell
plump into Bright’s hands, who was waiting for me, and
* Speeches, ii., June 5, 1855.