Page:Notes on the Anti-Corn Law Struggle.djvu/266

 The Chairman in the course of his remarks said:—

"'If any supposed for a moment that they meant to slacken their efforts to attain their object they were very much mistaken. A cause which had the advocacy of the late Prince Consort, of Mr. Cobden, of the Marquis of Lansdowne, of Lord Aberdare, and of John Bright, was a cause which no man need be ashamed to be associated with.'"

The Chairman also said:—

"'There was no doubt that they had succeeded in creating in this country a distinct party of men in favour of the construction of the tunnel, and in addition they had associated the question indissolubly with the name of peace.'"

It unfortunately sometimes happens that the persons who make most stir with the professed intention of promoting peace, do not adopt the most obvious course to the attainment of that object.

According to this statement of Sir E. W. Watkin, the Channel Tunnel had the advocacy of the late Prince Consort and of Mr. Cobden. If we are to adopt any great undertaking not upon our own knowledge and judgment, but upon the authority of others, those on whose authority we are to act ' should be men whose judgment in great affairs had been often tried and never found wanting; in civil as well as military affairs it should resemble that of the great English general, of whom it has been said that