ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a letter of John Bright to Richard Cobden dated 5 February 1860 describing briefly the Defence of Cobden's Treaty. The announcement of the Treaty proves how accurately John Bright have taken the measure of the House of Commons & the ruling class. Mr. Gladstone is as enthusiastic about it as Cobden & Bright can or could be. Lord John Russell is really glad about it, and speaks of it with a look of exultation rather unusual with him. Villiers, who is desperately and absurdly anti-French, indeed almost anti-anything both wish for, talks against it, as if to make a Treaty were contrary to Free Trade. The economic policy has few supporters in the Cabinet. The Reform Bill is pretty much what was prepared by Lord John before the Govt. was formed.
