The Press.
London, England, 1854-01-28 00:00:00

LEAGUERS IN

SCENE.—A Room in the Albion Hotel, Manchester, sifter the op, g Meetin
Monday. PRESENT— The most notorioue Members of the League. -
Mr. COBDEN (stirring his tumbler): I don't know how it is, but the
spirits they send up stairs are never so good as what we get—what I
used to get, I mean—in the commercial gents room.
Mr. BRIGHT : I should say the alteration was in your taste__
aristocratic claret has spoiled the bagman for democratic grog. My
opinion is that you would like to be made a peer. (Great laughter.)
Mr. COBDEN : There's nothing to laugh at. I should not hesitate
to accept a peerage if I felt that I could serve my country better in
—(shouts of laughter drowned the end of the sentence). Of course I
should stipulate not to wear a coronet, or robes—externals are every.
thing, as the Quakers know.
111 r. MILNER GIBSON : One for you, Bright. By the way, you
have left off " thou " and " thee," why don't you turn your collar
down? Because, if coats are wicked, plural pronouns are worse.
Mr. BRIGHT : I like your logic vastly—a man who commits one
offence may commit a dozen, eh ? Are those your fashionable doe.
trines ? My dear Gibson, you are very good in a speech—when you
are not to be answered.

Mr. COBDEN : Well, don't let us quarrel. The meeting went off
well enough, considering there was nobody present. I hope those
reporters will give the Aberdeen bits of our speeches correctly.
Mr. BRIGHT : I hope so. It went against me to praise a lord ; but
I think he has earned all r•e gave him.
Mr. Ginsos : I do not understand the move, though it's all right,
no doubt.

Mr. COBDEN : Why, it seems plain enough. It is quite clear that
nobody but ourselves—Manchester I mean—will stand up for Aber-
deen now. The country has somehow been worked up into a belief
that he is a recognised tool of the Czar, and careless of the honour. as
they are pleased to call it—of England. The praises which we have
just uttered concerning his policy are about the last, I take it, which
he is likely to hear, except from his own lips.
Mr. BRIGHT : By George—
Mr. W. J. Fox : " Verily," please, when you write to your friends.
Mr. BRIGHT : Didn't I say " verily " ? I was going to interrupt
Cobden for a minute, only to say that it makes one sick to see such
dastardly cowardice as those Cabinet fellows are manifesting about
the Oriental question. They are so hideously afraid of a stand-up
fight. They've got into their heads that Disraeli is going to give it
them, and they've been shrinking and shrinking, and calling him
names by anticipation, for two months. Why can't they brave it out?
Talking of that, who is Sam Ph—
Mr. COBDEN (quickly): Hush, hush ! that was not to be talked
about.

Mr. BRIGHT: Deuced sneaking, however, Nobody likes calling
names better than I do, but, anyhow, I speak out. Get on with your
explanation.
Mr. COBDEN : I fancy I've done. I was only going to make Gibson
see that we have done a clever thing. The only people whom the
Peelite Premier of England can get to praise him and his policy are
of the Manchester school. _ _

Mr. Gissox (ainiply): But what good can your praises do him?
Mr. COBDEN : And who praises a man to do him good ? You
praise another, I take it, either to do yourself good, or to annoy a
third party. At least I suppose so in a civilised country.
Mr. Gissow : And what good will your lauding Aberdeen do us,
then, if you come to that ?
Mr. BRIGHT : Well, you are an Arcadian. Let us change the sub•
ject. The Ministers are very much anoyed that we will not formally
say what we mean to do on the Reform Bill.
Mr. GuisoN : I take it, as Cobden says, we can't well tell what we
don't know.
Mr. BRIGHT : What on earth do you mean by don't know ?
Mr. GIBSON : Why, what I say. Are we not to wait and see what
the bill is before we make up our minds on the subject ?
Mr. COBDEN : And do you think that Russell would have presumed
to consider his bill complete without laying the heads of it before the
heads of the League ?
Mr. GIBSON : Well, you never showed it me.
Mr. COBDEN ; I said the heads of the League, sir.
Mr. GIBSON : If you come to that, I am not inclined to be treated
lightly. lam a gentleman by birth and position, and my value on
your platforms and elsewhere is best known to yourselves. I redeem
you from utter plebeianism, and you know it.
Mr. BRIOHT : That's right—that's plucky ! Stand up for yourself
and you'll never displease me. Eh, bagman ?
Mr. COBDEN (forcing a smile): When I am a peer, you know, I
shall say the same thing as Gibson.
Mr. BRIGHT : Shall you? Then I shall contradict you, bang,
that's all. But never mind that now. You are not a peer yet, and its
my private belief that you will not be raised to the peerage this
session. _ _

Mr. Gino); : But about the Reform Bill. Is it good?
Mr. COBDEN : Well, that depends upon peoples' notions of good'
ness. It is not such a bill, of course, as we should tell oue of the
League's ex-clerks to prepare, supposing we had the bringing it ill.
Mr. GIBBON : Has Palmerston cut it up much ?
Mr. COBDEN (laughing): I will be hanged if I can understand this
boy's innocence. Has Palmerston cut it up much ? (Holds his ides,
and laughs : Mr. Bright joins). No, Mr. Gibson, Palmerston has u°'
cut it up much. Come, now, do you seriously mean to say that you
believed that business ?

Mr. GosoN : Why, the Times said—