This speech, _Punch_ observes, enraged Cobden, who was furious with Palmerston for his unjust, reckless and incorrect charge; but his reply was inconclusive, as he could only say that a large proportion of Lancashire mill-owners had _not_ sold their stocks of unsold cotton to foreigners for the sake of the high prices which the fibre commanded. Cobden returned to the charge a couple of days later in a speech which is a most extraordinary prospective plagiarism of the election address of any anti-waste Independent Liberal candidate in the year 1921, as may be judged from _Punch's_ summary:-- The present is the most extravagant government that ever existed in peace time. This is all Lord Palmerston's fault. He is always interfering and getting up sensations. If the Liberals do not disentangle themselves from this system they will "rot out of existence." The Tories keep Lord Palmerston in Office and have more confidence in him than in their own chief. He is puffed by a clever and noisy _claque_. All the questions dear to Radicals and Dissenters have gone back under his leadership. This sort of thing must not go on next year. [Sidenote: _Our Noble Selves_] The honours of the debate, which did not enhance Cobden's reputation, rested with Palmerston, but apart from his extreme frankness in dealing with the Lancashire mill-owners, he owed his triumph to his unrivalled Parliamentary opportunism. The Governments of neutral states cannot play heroic _rôles_ in a great war. More scope is left to opposition leaders. Lord Derby distinguished himself by his liberality and energy in organizing relief measures, but the Lancashire working man was the most heroic figure in English public life from 1861 to 1865, though _Punch_ had only a glimmering of the truth. The note of complacent satisfaction over the tranquillity and prosperity of England as compared with the disturbed state of Europe is frequently sounded, and the Exhibition of 1862 is taken as the occasion to blow the national trumpet in "Our Noble Selves":-- All the world we invite to behold a grand sight Of not only goods, chattels, and treasures, But of law that's obeyed because mended or made By men who bring forward good measures. Let them come then, and see what a people are we, Steady-going, not headlong and skittish. What a world this of ours would be, O foreign Powers, If all nations behaved like the British! * * * * * This is Liberty Hall; no restriction at all On the freedom of speaking and writing; The result is that, say any fool what he may, Foolish language occasions no fighting. 'Tis the easiest job to disperse any mob, Without being so much as pumped on By a fire-engine hose, off the multitude goes, Mind, Order reigns bloodless at Brompton.