360

LIFE OF OOBDEN,

[oBAP:

1862. “3rd. The abolition of blockade of commercial ports or
Ar. 58. coast-lines,
“I could make it clear that England is beyond all countries
 interested in carrying out these points.
“Have you been reading anything about International
Law? If so, give me the benefit of your observations.
What I shall want is standing-ground to show the absolute
necessity for a change. Are there not great discrepancies
between Lord John’s present doctrines and our former supposed
 principles ? For instance I thought all our authorities,
including Phillimore’s last book, agreed that a belligerent
could take a neutral ship anywhere, and carry her into port
for adjudication.”

The Commercial (lass.

“Feb. 7, 1862. (To Mr. Henry Ashworth.) —1 am quite
happy to see you at the head of the Chamber of Commerce.
With many faults and shortcomings, our mercantile and
manufacturing classes as represented in the Chambers of
Commerce are after all the only power in the State possessed
of wealth and political influence sufficient to counteract in
some degree the feudal governing class of this country.
They are, indeed, the only class from whom we can in our
time hope for any further beneficial changes,
“It is true they are often timid and servile in their conduct
 towards the aristocracy, and we must wink at their
weaknesses if we are to keep them political company. But
there is always this encouragement to hope better things—
that they have no interest opposed to the general good,
whilst, on the contrary, the feudal governing class exists
only by the violation of sound principles of political economy,
and therefore the very institution is hostile to the interests
of the masses.
“I wish we could inspire the mercantile manufacturing