826

LIFE OF COBDEN. [omA®.

1860. of aiding the rebellion in the interior and putting it dow®
&r.50. on the coast! It is well known that by our wars with the
Chinese—by paralysing the central government and destroying
 its prestige with its people,—~we help the rebels in their
work of confusion and slaughter. But on their approach
bo Shanghai we are, it seems, to help the Government 0
resist the insurgents. But of what use will the seaports
be if the interior of the empire, where silk and tea are
grown, is to be given up to pillage and anarchy? Think of
the Americans coming to let loose fire and slaughter in
Lancashire and Yorkshire, but setting up at the same time
as the protectors of Liverpool! Where is all this folly and
wickedness to end! Shall we ever learn to live at peace
and be content with the honest possessions with which God
has so bountifully blessed our island? Unfortunately, wo
have a class—and that the most influential one—whick
makes money out of these distant wars, or these home
panics about a French invasion. How could your aristocracy
 endure without this expenditure for wars and armaments
 ? Could not a less worthy and inhuman method of
supporting them be hit upon? When I am talking over the
reduction of duties with M. Rouher, and we come to some
small industry employing a few hands and a little capital
which has put in its claim for high protection, I am in the
habit of suggesting to him that rather than interfere with
the trade of the country for the purpose of feeding and
clothing these small protected interests, he had better withdraw
 the parties from their unprofitable accupations, take
some handsome apartments for them in the Louvre Hotel
and feast them on venison and champagne at the country’
expense for the rest of their days. Might not a similar
compromise be entered into with the younger sons of our
aristocracy, instead of supporting them by the most costly
of all processes, that of war or preparation for war?” * *