Excerpt from The Life and Speeches of the Right Honourable John Bright, M. P, Vol. 5I have been reading lately a great number of letters which were addressed to me by my dear friend Mr. Cobden during our long friendship, and I have read also a journal consisting of memoranda narrating what took place in Paris when he was there negotiating the Commercial Treaty with France. He had to try to persuade the Emperor Napoleon to follow the example of this country with regard to the reduction of import duties, and the establishment of something like freedom of trade. He told the Emperor how great the benefits had been of the policy of Sir Robert Peel, and how great was the regard and reverence felt for Sir Robert. The Emperor said that he should be charmed and ¿attered if he could think it possible that he could do things of a kind which would be so good for his country. (hear, hear.) But, he added, it is very difficult in France, In England you make reforms, in France we make revolutions. (hear, hear.) Now, observe, the Emperor was a man who had lived in this country for years, he had watched the working of public opinion and of our institutions from the retirement of his exile and afterwards, for nearly twenty years, he watched them from the lofty stage of the Imperial throne. And that was his judgment that was the statement which he made to one of the foremost Englishmen, represent ing much of English Opinion, sent by the English Government to negotiate with him the great Treaty of Commerce. But I believe - that there is not a thoughtful statesman in any civilised country in the world who would not join with the Emperor in express ing his admiration of the manner in which the people of this country, for the last forty years, have worked out such substantial reforms in their legislation and our own experience brings us to the same conclusion. (cheers) Those men are in error who tell you nothing has been done, and that all remains to be done. Those men are not less in error who tell you that what has been done is evil, and that it is evil to do anything more. What you should do is to act upon the principles and rules of past years, steadily advancing in favour of questions which the public has thoroughly discussed, which it thoroughly comprehends, and which Parliament can honestly and conscientiously put into law. For my part, looking back over these forty years, I feel some little sense of comfort. But it does not in the least degree lessen - on the contrary, it rather adds to and strengthens - 'my hope for the future. (cheers) The history of the last forty years of this country, judged fairly - I speak of its legislation - is mainly a history of the conquests of freedom. (hear, hear.) It will be a grand volume that tells the story and your name and mine, if I mistake not, will be found in some of its pages. For me, the final chapter is now writing, - it may be already written No, no, - but for you, this great constituency, you have a perpetual youth and a perpetual future. I pray Heaven that in the years to come, when my voice is hushed, you may be granted strength, and moderation, and wisdom to in¿uence the counsels of your country by righteous means, for none other than noble and righteous ends.' (loud applause.)About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com