The Express.
London, England, 1862-07-17 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 17, 1862.

BANQUET TO X ROUHER.

Yesterday evening a grand banquet was given to
M. }Maher, the French Minister of Commerce, at Willis's-
rooms. All the arrangement. for the oscaaion were on a
maguideeat scale, and the dinner itself was in all respect.
one of the highest and most unique character. About 150
gentlemen attended. The chair was taken by Mr. Mum
Grnsog, President of the Board of Trade ; and amongst
those present were IL Dufour, It Michel Chevalier. Sir
G. •0. Lewis, M.P., Mr. Cobden, M.P., Sir S. IL
Pato, M.P., Lied H. Lennox, M.P., Mr. White, M.P.,
Mr. Moffitt. ]LP., Mr. Puller, M.P., Alderman ealo-
moan, M.P., Mr. Doulton, M.P., Mr. Childers, M.P., Ix.
After en toast of " The Queen and his Royal Highness
the Priem at Wales,"

TIN CIEJJIMILN said—The next toast Audi I have to pro-
pope is the `4 Health' of his Imperial llajoity the Emperor
of the Fserieli." (Loud and reiterated cheers.) For nearly
half a pedant the relations between Enke& and Frame
have beet as the whole of the most friendly description.
gat at ed period during th►t time have those relations been
bt • Ware waliatactory position than they are at the pre-
sent mennent. (Loud cheers.) A monarch rules over
France who is animated by the mast friendly
anntimeate towards this country. (Cheers.) The anirwei-
ties which prevaibid at a former epoch have bees softened
and subdued by the lapeelpf time ; and the enlightened

policy of giving greeter freedom to the commercial inter-
:a France and England proposed the Empe-
L 7 trere:cli, promptly and joyfully weeded to by the
govennneat of 46e Paseo, most tend to draw stall cheer

thus. tio of amity Which bind the two nations together.

I propose to you to drink with oordielity " Health and long
life to the Emperor of the French." (Great and prolonged
cheering.)

The Cunha', next raid—l now beg your attention
whilst I propose the health of our distinguished guest.
(Enthusiastic cheers.) We are assembled here to do him
honour end to greet him with a hearty welcome. Perhaps
there is no instance in our history in which so large a num-
ber of members of parliament have invited to a banquet a
minister of state from a foreign government. (Cheers.) M.
Rouher is not accredited as an envoy, but he is a minister
of state discharging his important functions under the Em-
peror of the French. This fact is significant of something.
We are &nation above all others remarkable as being the
slaves of precedent, and when we step out of the beaten
track we mean by that to signify something unusual.
(Loud cheers.) On this occasion we wish first of
all to express our approv►l of that important commercial
I treaty which some two years ago was entered into between
the French and English governments. (Cheers.) We wish
alto to express the strong feeling we entertain of the
im-
portance to the happiness of both England and France
of the maintenance of cordial and amicable rete-
ll lions between them, and of their being bound together
by ties of amity. We wish further to express our
recognition of the eminent services which M. Rouher has
himself rendered to the great cause of commercial freedom,

(Much cheering.) When the Emperor of the French and
the Queen of England had concluded a treaty of commerce
on a certain basis, it was M. Rouher mainly who in
Paris carried out the detail, of that treaty, and
effected those supplementary conventions which were
made in the spirit of the original agreement.
(Cheers.) The intention of the two governments was

to make a commercial treaty on 'a liberal Luis ; but it de-
pended on the carrying out of the detail relating to the
rednetios of duties whether the spirit of the intentions of the
two governments were really carried out—their, bear)—and

I tluok my honourable friend, Mr. Cobden-(cheers)—will
support me when I say that we are indebted to the coo.
rage, the perseverance, the ability, and the good faith of
Iteuher for the realisation of what was intended.

(Cheers.) M. Rouher had to encounter prejodioe, jealousy,
sad interest. (Rear.) These be overcame ; and I r►, in the

presence of the influential body who are assembled here
this evening to greet M. Ronher, that we appreciate the

French treaty on commercial sad on political grounds.
(01toma) We Mtisq that treaty to be a groat sucrose.
When the Department of the Board of Trade, with which

I have the honour to be connected, next publishes its

swung account of the value of the emporia from this
country to foreign countries, it will, I believe, be found that
there are but two countries standing higher in the list than
the kingdom of France. (Hear, beer.) It would ill become
me, on an occasion which is to be regarded u • convivial
meeting, to dwell on the details of the French treaty.
Let me, therefore, at once uk you to join me cordially and

enthusiastically in doing honour to the distinguished

tout of "The French Minister of Commerce, Agriculture,
and Public Works," and in assuring him that as Engliah-
men we value his energy and his fidelity, and that we
believe that this commercial arrangement between England
and France is likely to lead to results beneficial to both
countries. (Loud cheers.)
M. Ronnie, who was received with loud cheers, spoke in
French to the following effect—Gentlemen, never before
have Iso keenly regretted as now my ignorance of the
English language. Community of ideas, impressions, and
sentiments is never complete unless they are conveyed us
the earns language, and I wish I could express to you in
your own tongue the emotion and the gratitude I feel at
the signal honour done to me this day by the representatives
of that House of Commons whom debates occupy the
minds of the whole world. It is not without a sort of sato.

nishment that I find myself in the midst of
so ninny statesmen, practised veterans in public
affair', renowned for their great oratorical con.
Dicta and the eminent services they have rendered to their
country, and whose names rush in throngs to my grateful
lips. (Loud cheers.) A just appraisement of myself coon.
selled me to decline this testimony of sympathy, but this
important occasion was designed above all things to pay
homage to the great principle of civilisation which dictated
the treaty of commerce of 1800. (Great cheering.) My
scruples were overcome, and my presence amoopt you ap_
peered to be the fulfilment of a duty. This act will occupy au
important place in the history of the two nations. (Cheers.)
Permit me briefly to recount the obstacles which opposed
it. negotiation, and the motives which determined its
reelisation, the results obtained up to this day, and the
legitimate hopes to which it, execution must give rise. In
doiog so I shall at the some time be able to reduce to its

modest proportions my participation in this intern►tional
work. (Loud cheers.) Commercial liberty had eloquent
defenders in France in the eighteenth century. The
barbarous theories of isolation, those barriers against the
intercourse of nations, were victoriously attacked. (Cheers.)
A great minister (Turgot) made his convictions triumph io
the "coronae seta of the government The treaty of 178 ii,
the existence of which was so short, and yet so calum-
niated, was inspired by those liberal tendencies. The com-
mercial legislation of 1791 drew most of its resolutions
from the same sources. The decrees which soon repudiated
those measures of progress did not pretend to create a now

systole. They were weapons of we forged for those
ffiguutic conflicts which muted the end of the last and the
beginning of the present century. (Cheers.) Why were
the traditions of Turcot neglected after the return of peace?
Why was the road deserted that had already been opened,
and the science of the circulation of wealth suffered to fall