The Express.
London, England, 1865-04-13 00:00:00

THE LATE MR. COBDEN, M.P.

—•—
DESPATCH OFFOREIGN A THE FREFFAINCH MINISTER
OF RS.
The following despatch has been addressed (says
the Morning Post) to the French ambassador in
London by M. Drouyn de Lhuys :
To his Excelleocy the Prince de Is Tour d'Auvergee,
Ambamador of France at Loodoo.
Paris, April 8, 1865.
Prises,—A few days sines, whilst the First Minister of
bar Britannia Majesty bore brilliant testimony is the
Hoes* of Commons to the memory of Richard Oolideo. •
speaker belonging to the government of the Emperor
expressed the regrets which the death of this illustrious
man gave rise to in France, and the Legislative Body Metall.
lied themselves with this homage by a unanimous impales.
A manifestation so honourable to the two nations, and
to the person whose low Eegland deplores, will not have
'soaped your attention; and you will perhaps bare already
had occasion to oommusicate thereupon with the ministers
of the Queen. I desire, nevertheless, prince, to place you
is a position to express to them officially the mournful
, sympathy and truly national regret which the death, as
'matted es premature, of Richard Cobden has excited on

this side of the Channel.
That indefatigable promoter of liberty in the domain of
commerce and manufactures was not only the living proof
of what merit, perseverance, and labour can accomplish ;
one of the most complete examples of those men who,
sprang from the moat humble reeks of society, raise
themselves to the highest rank in public estimation by the
effect of their own worth and of their personal services ;
finally, one of the rarest examples of the solid qualities
inherent in the English character. He is above all, in our
eyes, the representative of those sentiments and those
oosmopolite principles before which national frontiers and
rivalries disappear ; whilst essentially of his country, he
was still more of his time ; be knew what mutual relations
could accomplish in our day for the prosperity of people&
Ogden, if I may be permitted so to asy, was an interne-
*eel men.
There are some mental views and aptitudes which
are only given to those who in the outset of their
meet have felt the embarrassments and the difficulties
rif life, who have had to struggle slimiest the us-
esseities of a position less than humble. Richard Cobden
had been brought up in this severe but strengthening
school ; he thence derived, as the beet preparation for a
'knowledge of political economy, the gift of sympathy with
the sufferings of the laborious classes in the midst of whom
be had lived ; be understood the better the straightened
circumstances which he had shared ; and in feeling the
need of alleviating them he was naturally led to seek the
means to do so—firstly in the abolition of the core laws in
England, then in the suppression or lowering of the barriers
which the various commercial laws had raised between
peoples. Certainly Cobden did not create any of the prin-
ciples of industrial and commercial liberty. They had been
professed and propagated before him by eminent theorists
is England and Enures. But his glory is to have followed
up the practical application of them, abroad and at home,
with an ardour and devotedness quite unparalleled.
Bement from national prejudices as from those of educa-
tion and oasts, Richard Cobden brought to the pursuit of
reforms which he judged useful to his country and profit.
able to humanity a disinterestedness and a sincerity which
one cannot hot honour, whilst at the Name time one is
obliged to admit that all his views were not equally prae-
tlcable.
For ourselves, we cannot forget the considerable part he
took in the change of opinions which prepared, and is the
•
negotiations which led to the treaty of oremosene at pre-
' seat existing between France and England. This important
ask all good results of which experience has already we-
suested, and the liberal provisions of which are from day
to day adopted by other powers of Europe, will have for
effect not only the development of the material interests
between England end France, but it will also aid power-
fully in strengthening 'their friendly relation,. This was
the double object of Richard Cobden. He loved and un-
dentood France better thee any other person, sod
gsrded as one of the greatest isthmoid of his eountry and
herreaity the maintenance of peaceful ',latices between
the two nation, which, arreeedieg to the expression re-
cently used by a member of the English cabinet, march
at
the head of the world.
You will be good enough, prince, to acquaint the VIM
Minister and the Principal Secretary of her Britannia Ma
platy with the sentiments expressed in this despatch, sad
which they will receive, I doubt not, with a wiliiapens
equal to that whir* has dictated them.—Reeeire,
Mina) Ditours us LRCM.

"The Duke and Duclwes of Buckingham," says
tbs Malta Observer, " left this Weed as the bth for Bag-
land is their yacht Garish's, attar a stay ot several weeks."
The Hun. C. Garen Duffy, lately Minister of
Palgis Lands at Ilalboarsa, arrived by the Great Vistacis,
and Is Airier at tba Grammy Raid.
The Social Science Congress, which was held last
year at Amsterdam, will nowt in 1865 at NM is August
salt.