The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-25 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 25, 1853.

Eke erprefss.

beershopu would go down, and our humble homes
would brighten by the same process that would make
" the vine-covered hills and gay valleys of France"
resound with the cheery songs of a prosperous

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

• Neat.' Witten TM Kaprees." ceatalsai the sew 'lmbues
.thuatte," ie palalabed every luestley SM rriday a/aht. is has
ex poet.

_ _ _ -
peasantry. We see very well how the fine old
forests that need to be the pride of pur neigh-
bours will be cherished once more when the
freedom of the iron trade shall make them more
valuable than ever. We see how the singular
trade in bonbons, which France might have all to
herself from her peculiar skill, would increase indefi-
nitely, if cane sugar were admitted without restric-
tion, in addition to such beet sugar as it might still
be found worth while to grow—though our own
opinion is that the beet fields would presently
be more profitably occupied by other crops. We have
no doubt that French shoes and gloves would be
found wherever there are fair ladies and carefully
dressed men. We have no doubt that the classes who
form the bulk of the French, as of every other
nation, would be better fed, and clothed, and housed;
and that they would become more intelligent
through improved means of locomotion, and happier
through increased stimulus to it. And it does not
appear to us wholly incredible that even the mobilo
and sorely-tried French people may settle down at
last under some Government, stable in principle
and substantial in form, when once that chasm is
bridged over which now divides the metropolis from
the provinces so radically as to preclude all immediate
chance of forming a Government which shall be good
for both. A firm and clear industrial basis is the plat-
form on which all Frenchmen may naturally meet to
learn to do justice to, and sympathise with, each
other ; and the ruler who shall build up this plat-
form, be he who he may, will be the best Sovereign
for France is the nineteenth century.
As for us, we do not pretend that our aspirations
are all sympathetic and benevolent. We shall
directly gain by the throwing open of commerce any
and everywhere ; and we shall be benefited,
mare or less indirectly, by whatever promotes the
prosperity of a neighbour and ally. We believe
that Free Trade will benefit everybody, and injure
none; and therefore it is that we rejoice to see a
beginning made, and hope to see the whole work
achieved in time. There are some words of
ARTHUR YOUNG'S, addressed to the French Govern-
ment of his day, which are very interesting at this
moment, and quite as wise as any that can be prof-
ferred now : "First, secure prosperity to agriculture,
by equal taxation, and by absolute liberty of culti-
vation and sale ; and secondly, do no more to
encourage manufactures and commerce than by
letting then; alone a policy exclusive of every
idea of monopoly." We may safely affirm, and
our assertions are founded on unquestionable facts,
that any country will attain the utmost prosperity
of which its Government is capable, that steadily
pursues this conduct.

411.9;talimrsta Intruded be "11. Liprier," Lades Eresiag piper,
wait be at Ow Mai lb, Illeaveeir direst, by Two delft es lb*
day of pubilestics.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Taw DAT - Mot ui mg, Ma_ -.Abuse" h. MP.
70.1101141 - Zonal/. iIL NIL Mi.

LO.VDON, FRIDAY, NOT 25.

It• the Emperoe of the Faz.rat proceeds volun-
tarily in the Free Trade come on which he seems

to have entered by a kind of compulsion, there may
be more remarkable, and certainly happier, changes
is ature fur France than any that have yet befallen
that very changeable country. This warns a bold
thing to say : but it may be said advisedly. No
(hinge in the denueninatioo and form of the govern-
went of • country ; and not even transitions from
war to peace, and from peace to war, can be of such
consequence to its inhabitants at large as the free
. .

prevalence of the great natural laws of human so-

ciety, or the violation of those laws. The violation
of those laws occasions universal evils which

no government can remedy ; and obedience
to them generates blessings which are be-
yond the reach of political tyranny and folly.
. .

While the industry of a nation is impeded and de.
rested by arbitrary restrictions, there must be • rest-
lessness among the sufferers which accounts for •
good deal of political discontent and fickleness; and
if the experiment is fairly tried of allowing to in-
dustry its free exercise sud its due reward, the world
may even yet en the speetaele which would gratify
all good hearts—of the great French Nation being

settled and at peace; fed, clothed, cheered, and ani-
mated by industrial prosperity, and therefore in the
. .

best mood to decide how it would be politically go-
verned, and what to require of its rulers.
From the badness of its commercial policy, France
has really had ro chance yet of showing what she

can be and do, except in the field of
war and in passive political suffering. Before
the tint Revolution—the great French Ravelu-
tion—bir state in regard to agriculture, manufac-
tures, and commerce. was such u it is now surprising

to recall end read ot. On the great estates, which
were for the most part shamefully neglected, the

peasantry, dressed in urge frocks, with leather belts,

- -
without linen or cotton, or hats or ohoeo—with hair

frizzled by sun and shower to the likeness of negro
wool, and the feet thrust into wooden clogs which

lamed a largo proportion of those who wore thaw—

thew peasaiits were frequently kept op all night, when

the great man was at the chateau, to whip the ponds
and keep the frogs quiet ! If there was little live
stock besides—scarcely any esttle and no sheep— Winter military executions are in progress at
there were plenty of frogs, and more mischievous Bucharest under the directions of the Russian
game, about the rich man's mansion. His woods General GORTSCUAKOFF. the Turks under Oxan
might be dying from the top, his fields might be in- Fauna are seen to be still in the tolerant temper that
tested with weeds, and his vineyard be as fickle as has all along characterised their proceedings. The
any fine lady, 'for want of regulated management ; Muscovites order every Wallach who is susputed of
but he had fish and frog ponds soaking down to the loyalty to the SrLTAN to be shot. A bad caw needs
foundations of his houses and barns, wild beasts that support by violent means. Bloodshed and tyranny
were better fed than his half-wild men, and a pea• have always gone hood in hand ; but every volley
Bantry wko lounged over their profitless work in that sends an unfortunate shopkeeper of Bo-
the daytime, from the wearisome serve* that was cheroot to his last account for the crime
required of them in the night. Such of the land as of not loving the Russian invader of his
was in the hands of small owners fared ao better. country, adds another to the many hatreds which
A stout man would walk a dozen miles to sell a the CZAR has already established in the Principalities,
dozen eggs or a fowl, and sot think his day mis- and gives new reasons why the powers of Europe
spent : and his wife would dawdle all day in a lane, should step in and, with a determined hand,
leading the cow along a grassy hedge.: If she was stop such atrocities. That some such real inter-
remarkably notable, she would ply her distaff or vention is probable, there is much reason now to
knitting-needles the while; and her children would believe. The presence of a second Pacha in the
pick up sticks for the fire--supposing they could camp on the Danube is said to foreshadow an ar-
Mud any that they might safely take. Such a con- mogement for stopping further bloodshed, on terms
dition of agriculture betokened a wretched state such as Turkey may accept and her friends approve.
of manufactures and commerce ; for agricultural Of course, any arrangement between the bellige-
improvement inevitably follows upon the rise and rents would include, u its first article, the
increase of manufacturing towns. At that time, sucoation of the Principalities. The Russian
indeed, and even to this day, there was that sign as down for conquest the Osmanli has
of backward civilisation of which we may and simply taken up arms ter (defence, and is evidently
traces still in the remoter vales of our mountain ready to keep his operations within purely defensive
districts,—manufactures carried on in the cottages. limits, if such moderation can be made to secure the
Where home-spun is still sees in our moorlands, the patriotic object in view. If proper terms can be
tillage will be found to be execrable, and the fortunes made—if the CZAR is willing to be leas madly dis-
of the small proprietor declining ; and in France, honest than heretofore—if England and France,
then and now, where the wheel and the loom are with the other powers, can put the Muscovites back
found in the dwelling of the small proprietor, it may on their own soil without the need for further mili-
be concluded that social organisation has hardly tary active operations on the Danube, the
reached the spot, and it will be wen that the tillage tolerant temper of the Sutras will no doubt
is as barbarous as the commercial methods of the readily content itself with the arrangement. We
vicinity. It will be found that wooden implements do not hear amounts of Omni PACTIA ordering Rua-
are used wherever possible, because iron and steel Man prisoners or WaUschian " sympathisers" to be
are so dear. The object is merely to raise meow shot by sentence of drum-head court-martial; all
rice for the household : for there is no encourage- such acts are reserved for Prince GORTSCUAKOIT
runt to further enterprise; so free market for seeds, and since the Turks, under the most provoking ek-
ed, grain, fruits, and wine, in return for tools, stock, cumstances, still maintain their attitude of calm and
manures, groceries, and clothing. We have slid patriotic determination, we may well believe that,
from the past to the present tense; but the should the rumoured intervention be sufficiently real
statement may stand; for the state of things is secure for them all that is just, they will be wa-
in the last century is only too like what it is tent to sheaths the sword that would never have bean
now in the rural districts of Francs—ire those drawn if the CZAR had been honest or wise. The
districts which present a greater contrast with Paris victories of theTarke on the Danube may well usable
than any other country of Western Europe can show them to listen with dignity to the terms of an
between its metropolitan and provincial life. honourable peace, should such be offered. Sash ea
What has been going en along the coasts mean- arrangement is jut whet Russia ought to desire.
while? When the commercial treaty of sixty years Her boasted reiufbreemeste do not appear in the
ago was agreed upon by France and England, some Principalities. Her huge forces reported in the
of the parties looked upon it with hope and others columns of the mmtbeental organs of despotism are
with fear; and both found the result curious enough, not seen on the field. Where are they P Where is
The Birmingham mannfactarers. and English veer- the corps that has for some weeks been talked about
chants generally, soon complained that they got as marching to the support of CIORTSCHALOTP? Has
nothing by it. The smuggling which had game on it been thought wiser tossed it forward to Quassia?
before provided a better market than the regular Should the telegraph soon tell the world that another
trade did afterwards. So AITITIM YOZNG told us at large MumecTUte form wee needed in that quarter, no
the time; and we know that the French manufac- one would express surprise, for it is clear that in
turcrs made the same complaints when we re. Asia the Russians have enough to do to hold their own.
diced our silk duties. And what went on The interest of the great drams has hitherto
the while in the towns? Except by the been chiefly concentrated upon the events on
help of the smugglers, fabrics of silk, wool, the Danube; whilst little attention has yet
and cotton are not to be had at all from foreign been paid to the transactions which have oc-
countries ; nor paper, nor glue and earthenware, nor awed in Asia. It may, however, be a matter
• multitude of ether things which would animate of doubt whether the Asiatic portion of the war may
commerce not a little if they were admitted. But it not be attended with effects even more int-
im weals that the French glovers anti shoemakers, portant than those which will follow the concha-
lino might, through their superior skill, glove and sioo of the struggle in Europe. Come what
shoe the majority of civilised mankind, cannot get will, Russia will not be allowed to absorb
foreign leather, nor the lawmakers foreign thread ; the provinces of European Turkey into her
nor the cotton and linen manufacturers foreign yarn, own empire. If we cannot precisely predict the esm.
Thus hampered and restricted, the towns cannot sequences of the defeat or the success of the Rviiiies
attain their salami growth ; and, as an immediate in Europe, we know that there is a limit which the
consequence, the agriculture in their seighbourtioods CZAR himself will not bo permitted to transgress.
cannot thrive. It is very well known that there is a It is not at all certain, however, whether the war is
vast amount of hoarding of gold and silver in France, Asia may not be attended with results more basil.
partly from fear of political change, and partly from vial to the peace and civilisation of the world this
the languishing state (in comparison with what.they the wildest enemy of the Russian power could at
might be) of manufactures and commerce. If a first have imagined.
natural traffic were allowed to spring up between The contests that have hitherto taken place in Asia
Franco and other countries, the gold would come between the Turks and the Russians have been south
out, the smuggling would cease, and a sudden in- of the great Caucasian range of mountains running
crease in regular commerce would astonish all the along the isthmus between the Black and Caspian'
world but those who are now pleading for Free Seas, and forming au almost impassable barrier te
Trade in France. oppose the progress of any expedition from Russia
No such increase would astonish us. We rejoice in Proper to the South. It might, in fact, be looked
the beginnings just made, because we believe that upon as the natural boundary to check Russian
such evident good will arise from the scantiest re• aggression in that direction. Over the inhabitants
taxation as may well tempt the government of of this Caucasian district the Ottoman Empire held a
France to an extension of the experiment. We know nominal sway, but on the cession of the provinces
very well what would be the blessing to both coon- to Russia, in 1829, the latter power set to work
trim of a free trade in French wines; how our worst ,at once to obtain a real dominion in the C 4001,011.