xx)

THE COMMISSION.

~EQ

"Coasion, a French commissioner, who had made himself
‘he mouthpiece of the protectionists, tried to counter “Zr. 56.
ome demand of Cobden’s by one of these fabrications.
Cobden, worn out by the iteration of such shameless
lovices, could no longer contain himself, and in angry
tones called out too crude a statement of the truth.
But he was msually as long-suffering as he was tenacious,
There was one member of the Commission on the French
lide whose conduct gave him constant encouragement and
“upport. Every day brought fresh proof of the ability, moral
*ourage, sincerity, and good faith of M. Rouher. These
are Qobden’s own words, and he adds with enthusiasm that
his name will go down to posterity as the Huskisson or
Peel of France. No ordinary man could have effected in a
twelvemonth changes which in Eugland were spread over
"Wenty years.
The strain of the conflict and its preparation, both on
Cobden and his colleagues, was very great. The discussions
8 the Foreign Office usually lasted from two until six
o'clock, when they went to dine. Later in the evening
tame laborious interviews with commercial experts from
England, who brought tables, returns, extracts from ledgers.
Commercial friends at home were apt to be impatient, and
Cobden was obliged to write long letters of encouragement
and exhortation. In the morning, after two or three
hours devoted to correspondence and further interviews, soon
after eleven Cobden proceeded to the offices of the English
Sommissioners in the Rue de "Université, where his colleagues
had already arranged the matter acquired in the previous
evening. This they examined and discussed and prepared
for the meeting at two o’clock, when the encounter was once
more opened.
Occasional relief wag enjoyed in varied social intercourse.
There were great official banquets with ministers of state,

1860.