The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-22 00:00:00

MB. BRIGHT ON FREE TRADE IN AMERICA.

The following letter from Mr. Bright nppeere in
the Chicago Tribune :—" Rochdale, Dec. 2, 18411—Dear
sir,—l do not recolleot any paper directly bearing on the
question of wages. The fallacy wee made greet use of in our
movement for the repeal of the sire laws—honestly by
some men. and dishonestly by others. The real argu-
ment against it is this :—Free trade always means great
trade, and great trade always means • great demand for
labour, and this always means sod necessitates a high
rate of wages. At this moment wages are higher than at
any former period in this country, than in any former
period, at least, within our recollection. It is so through
all our manufacturing districts, although the length of
the day's labour is much shorter. It is so also with our
farm labourers. In many counties their wages have
risen from 25 to 50 per cent. since 1846, when our agri-
cultural industry was subjected to the competition of all
the world. The labourers in America are taxed enor-
mously in the purchase of many articles, particularly in
their clothing. Americans and Englishmen going from
England to America now supply themselves with
clothing to last them for years ; they buy it for about
half the price it would cost in the States, and thus
withdraw their trade from the American manufac-
turers and escape the psymeut of the extravagant duties in
the American ports. Protection to the manufacturers of
iron and cloth in America may, and doubtless will, enrich
some of them ; but it is by a contribution from the whole
people to those engaged in these particular branches of in-
duatry. This system will encourage the investment of
capital in the protected trades, and it will teed to
deaden industry and invention in those State. ; and
whatever is gained on the one hand is far more than
lost on the other. When the tariff question is fairly be-
fore the American people, the trutn will be discovered.
They may consent to a moderate tariff for revenue on
all great articles of import by which incidentally some pro-
tection may be unavoidably afforded to some breeches of
manufacture ; but they will not long consent to sustain
branches of industry too feeble to sustain themselves,
out of the taxes not levied for the service of the
Government, but extorted from them by the pro-
tective fallacy for the exclusive benefit of maniac-
tumors forming a small portion of their whole popula-
tion. It should be remembered, also, that the extra
profit, if any, given to the ironmarders and maoufac-
turers, does not go to their workmen. It may increase
the dividends of the companies or corporations, but I
it does not sensibly raise the wages of their workmen ; for
the wages of their workmen are determined by the general
rule of labour throughout all the States, sod are not
affected in any important or measurable degree by
the profits made by the various manufacturing corpora-
tions. If there be profit in protection or monopoly—and
there often is—the workman's share is none at all, or
so little as to be imperceptible. A corporation workrug a
very profitable patent pays no more wages to work:lieu
than a neighbouring corporation carrying on a trade not
protected by a patent, and while monopoly may
enrich those who possess and enjoy it, it cannot affect
advantegeousl7 the interests and wages of the workmen.
The workman • safety and success depend upon the state
of trade and the greatness of the demand for labour ; and
far above any possible interest they can have-1 speak of
the whole body of workmen in the United States, or sny
other country—in any special protection to any trade, or in
the fostering and pampering of any particular manufacture,
is the great interest they have in that perfect freedom of
trade which creates the greatest demand for labour, and
gives the highest vele° to their skill and industry. It is
interesting to see the old fallacy, once so potent in this
country, now dead and buried in hope sod belief for ever,
reappearing with anew life in the Cuitral States,a land where
the superstatiocs of Europe have not generally found a con-
genial home. Happily for the Americans, this question of
free trade is not mixed up, as ours was, with a great
question, and with the supposed supremacy 01 a
powerful territorial and aristocratic clew. They will
find out the truth sooner than our people did, and they
will be able to discum it free from many circumstances
which were formidable difficulties in our way. All the
countries in Europe are tending to freedom of trade, and all
good and wise men rejoice at it. It will be strange indeed
if America, foremost of all the world in the knowledge and
possession and practice of political freedom, should be the
last in discovering the priceless value of freedom of M.
duatry, which may be fairly termed the • Charter of Free-
dom' to the millions of workmen of every country where
industry is free.—l am, 14c., "JOHN Buitair."

THE NEXT MAIL FROM JAMAICA.--The Shannon,
with the next West India mail, is expected on Suuday
next. She will bring news from Jamaica up to the 6th inst.
The Shannon took out Sir Henry Storks.
THS CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER AND THE
MALT TAX.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer having been
invited to receive a Suffolk deputation on the subj.-et of tho
malt tax, returned through his secretary the following
reply :—" lam directed by the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21;th
ult., and I am to state in reply that, happy as he would be
to discuss the subject of the malt tax with the deputation
on behalf of which you write, he is unable, on account of
the pressure of public business, to make an appointment
for that purpose, as he finds it necessary to make it a rule
to avoid seeing any local deputations on subjects which
apply to the country at large. Mr. Gladstone feels certain
you will excuse him on this ground, and be begs to assure
you that any statement with which you may be good
enough to favour him will receive the best consideration of
her Majesty's government."
PATENT-OFFICE INQUIRY. —The final report of
Messrs. Greenwood and Iliodmarch, the commissioners ap-
pointed by the Lord Chancellor to inquire into the state of
the Patent-ethos, was made public on Saturday. The do-
cument is of considerable length, but, in substance, it
expresses the opinion that the present staff of the office n far
too small, and that the work in several departments is
much in arresr in consequence. The commissioners recom-
mend that the Patent-office museum, which is now located
at South Kensington, should be in the same building as
the Patent-office, or in some place near to it, but that no as
oommodatioaican be obtained for it in.auy existing building
near the present office. Of the manner in which the
officers have exerted themselves to carry out
the provisions of the act of 1852, under which
the office is coustituted, the commissioners say :
" It was unfortunate that a person so unfit as the late clerk
of the patents should have been placed at the head of the
offioe, and if there bad not been several officers of ability
and energy in the Patent-office, who exerted themselves to
the utmost to Garry into effect the new law, the public
would have derived little, if any, benefit from the change
of the law effected by the Patent Law Amsodmest Act ;
and we think that they are entitled to great credit for the
manner in which they have formed their system, distri-
buted their duties amongst themselves, and discharged
them. Left to themselves for years without any superb.
tending head in matters of detail, they have bad to
frame a system as well as work it, and we think it
due to the present staff of officers to express our
sincere opinion that they have discharged their duties
with diligence, intelligence, and conscientious:ten.
They have exerted themselves greatly to invitees the
interests of the office, and we think that they have strong
claims to the favourable consideration of the commissioners
and of the Lords of the Treasury." Some of the recommen-
dations contained in the report have already been carried
out. Amongst these we may mention the erection of a
new library lot the use of patentees, which building will, we
believe, be ready in the course of the summer. According
to the Patent Law Amendment Act, as subsequently
amended, there are stamp duties paid upon patents for
revenue pureeing which now every year greatly exceed the
annual amount of &Ake paid into the Exchequer before the
pegging of the act above•mentiosed. Fees were also by. the
net required to be paid for the purpose of raising
a fund to pay the expenses of the ratent.odles, and
carrying the provisdoos of the new law into effect
These fear (now paid is tbeshaps of stamp duties) annually
amount to a mod' larger sum (50,0004 we believe) than-has
,iner bees expanded for the expense/1o( the aka. Thane
fear were sot made payable for the purpose of raising a
public revenue, aid the oolumtudoesirs think that ant any
of them ought to be allowed to form pert of the Leased
revenue of the country, until the secousmodetioa, expellees,
end use working of every departionst of the Peteabodles
have been amply sad liberally provided for. The commis.
stomas, in short, express the opinion that the value sad
Import/wee of the Pateat.odkie have not bean duly
saa tbat the dew hes strived
:itypettilid4ea a dliferset fusing.
when it ought

[TWOPENCE

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nos ocs owl cost

PARIS, ESCNDAY EVIIMIG.

The Moniteur de Soir, speaking of the jousasy
of the Empress Charlotte from Mexico to *era
Cruz, says that in every stage of the progress in
Yucatan', at Sisal, Media, Campeche, and Carmen,
"uninterrupted ovations bore witness to the attach-
ment of the populations to the new institutions
which have retored order and security to Mexico,
and their gratitude to the gracious sovereign who
did not shrink from the fatigue of such a long
journey." This paragraph is calculated to encou-
rage the hopes of those who believe that the Em-
peror will to-morrow promise to the expectant
French nation the evacuation of Mexico. Since
order and security "are restored "—not by the
French occupation, but by the " new institutions,"
i.e., Maximilian's solid throne—there is obviously
no reason why the Emperor Napoleon should not
relieve his people from the heavy burden of the
Mexican expedition.

The Prase says of the recently published de-
spatch of Mr. Bigelow, dated November 30,
relating a conversation with M. Drouyn de Lhuys,
in which the latter said in reply to complaints of
the conduct of Maximilian's government, "You
do us too much honour to hold us responsible ; if
Maximilian has violated your rights, address
yourself to him ; you are well able to obtain repara•
tion :"

It is a happy prognostic that 31. Dronyn de nays thus
clearly disclaims the responsibility of the French govern-
meet. But this aiiclaimer alone is not enough. It is vain
for us to decline responsibility for what goes on in Mexico
so long as we keep an army there. The only way to make
ourselves really irresponsible is to recall our troops.
For several days past uneasiness was felt at
Brest about the fate of the French Transatlantic
packet Europe, which left New York on January
5 and should have arrived at Brest on the IGth.
The Europe being the fastest boat on the line no
doubt could be entertained when she was long over-
due that she had suffered from the tempestuous
weather. This was the case. She was so badly
damaged that she could not attempt to round Cape
Ouessant to get into Brest and made for Cherbourg,
where she arrived safely, after having done 700
miles in a rough sea with sails alone, her engines
being disabled. The passengers and mails were
landed at Cherbourg, and the Europe was then
towed to Havre by the government aviso Le
Dauphin.
Princess Anna Murat, now Duchess de Mouchy,
accompanied her father on a tour in Egypt in 184i4.
iln remembrance of this visit Ismail Paella Las sent
a present to the princess on the occasion of her
marriage of a diamond coronet worth 100,000 fr.

Dr. Prothero Smith is (says the Sunday Ca :WO
about to receive the honour of knighthood.

Mr. Li. Clarke Jervoine, of the Foreign-office,
will accompany Lord Sydnvy on his mission to Brussels,
to invest the King of the Belgians with the insignia of the
Garter.

Mr. William Downes Griffith, Q.C., Lae been
appointed to the of ice of Attorney-General for the colony
of the Cape of Good Hope.
R.EPRE-SENTATION OF LEOMINSTER.—MT. Gatborne
Hardy. having been elected at the general election last July
for Leominster as well as Oxford I• uiversity. and having
chosen the latter seat, a new election will necessarily take
place for this borough ininiediately after the meeting of
parliament. In auticipation of this event Mr. Richard
Arkwright, of Hampton Court, some time since offered
himself to the electors, and has issued two addresses, In
which he avows his i rineiples to be conservative, by which
be says, "I do not mean that I am opposed to every change,
but that while I am willing to give fuil consideration to and
adopt, if necessary, all suggestions for the practical remedy
of deficiencies which must become appateut during the
develepment of every civilised institution, I do nut admit the
necessity of any great organic changes in our existipg con-
stitution in matters connected with church or state" The
Ark wright family are highly popular in the borough, and
there is little doubt that Mr. Ark wright will be elected.
REPRESENTATION OF BREcliNoclE. —The rear
approach of the meeting of parliament has revived
electioneering Anovemeuts here, as the vacancy occa-
sioned by the death of Colonel Lloyd Watkins
will have to be filled next wre-ic. The Earl of
Ifreckuock, the liberal candidate, has issued another
address, in which he says:—'• it is now three months
maze i last addressed you, and the time is drawing
neer when you will be called upon to elect your represeeta-
live in parliament. The death of Lord l'almirstou, who
for so many years conducted the all airs of the, country, is
felt by us all as a national loss. Lord It u.iell by been milled
upon to lead the liberal party, and • reform bill will be
brought forward under his auspi.ies. lam in favour of a
considerable extensiou of the electoral fraisclike, and wish
to see • better representation of the educated and working
classes. Without pledging myself to the details of •
measure not yet before the public, my support will be given
to the principle of any reform bill which shall command
the general approval of the liberal party." He is also in
favour of the abolition of church rates. The conservative
candidata is Mr. Howe! 6 wyo. The contest will be between
them.

•••••••••
I'ROPOSED GRAND LIBERAL DEMONSTRATION LX
Hl.lliEr.—The second edition of the {Visit Surrey TIMs
reports that on Saturday afternoon a large and influeetial
meeting of the executive committee appointed to eery out
the above was held at the White Lion Hotel, Guildford.
It will be remembered that the object is to celebrate the
return of pine liberal members to parliament I,y the county
of Surrey and its boroughs, by tooting them to a public
banquet ; Mr. H. Lllntl Long presided, and amongst those
present were Mr. It. A. C. Godwin Austin, J.P. ; Mr. J.
More Molyileux, J. P. ; Captain Mangles, Mr. D. Macdonald,
J.P. ; Colonel Ouslow, Mfr. H. A. Adams, J.P.; Messrs.
J. T. Pagon, J.P. ; W. W. Pocock, T. A. Curtis, P. W.
Lovett, J. Flockley. T. Ittpaell, W. Bridger, W. William-
son, .1. Mires, Mc. The proceedings were of • most unanimous
character, and it would appear from the pacts:al steps
which have already been Liken by the committee, that one of
the most important demoostratiom which has ever beat
held in the county of Surrey wall be the result. After •
friendly discussion upon each point proposed, it was re-
solved that the banquet should he held on Friday, the 2nd
of February, in the public hall at Guildford, which is prob.
ably one of the largest rooms in the county. The meeting
then appointed a general committee composed of the most
influential gentlemen attached to the liberal cause in the
comity, and it was further resolved to communicate with
at least one hundred more, and to invite them toast in concert
with the committee, either as stewards or in some other
capacity. Several of the members have already bees ap-
plied to and have expressed their readiness to attend, and
it is believed that either Colonel Challenor or Sir E. T.
Colebrook, M.P., will occupy the chair at the banquet.
Special trains wall be arranged both on the South-Westan
and South-Eastern Railway.
SEND/Al' THEATRICAL., PROHIBITED IN NEW
Tone.—ln the court of Spvial Sessions yesterday, Henry
Bvraodes, proprietor of a lager beer and concert saloon,
• very popular place of remit, at No. 7,19, Eighth Avenue,
it the Twentieth Ward, was brought up on remand for
sentence. He was convicted on Saturday lost of having
theatrical exhibitions in his place on Sunday. The evidence
on that point was conclusive, and the only point of defence
raised was, that altheigh there was a law of this kind
there was nobody prosecuted under it, therefore it wee •
dead letter ; and being a law that was not enforced, the
police making no arrests for breaking the law, defendant
thought he bad • right as well as otters to break it. The
next point made on the trial was that the hack part of the
saloon was sub-let to somebody who, if he chose, could make
afros sodomy of it ma theatre. The 'widence was that it was
• combination of both, wither • first-class one nor the other.
They bed a stage, drop scene, none in long swallow-tail
coats and long stove-pipe hats, who carried withered point-
less umbrellas, and who snug sow, the complainants Peva
beard, bat they made everybody Laugh. They laughed too.
but they didn't remember on the trial what they bad laughed
at. Judge Dowling, in pasting senteoce, thought it was a
very poor same for a mat to break • law and them turn
round and say that he did not know that such a law existed.
A cam of the kind bad been up for trial two lean ago, be
believed, bat bow it was disposed of he would not atop to
inquire. The prohibition of theatricals as Beall was a
law ; it was, in his opinion, no dead letter. Seetence, peni-
tentiary two mouths, and fined fifty dollars.—New York
Harold, Jas. 10.
CM CP Loam( Hoorrus roe DISUSES or
11111 Clue; Vicrosu PAinn.—The Dumber of patients
relieved at this iostitutioe during last week was 1,148, of
which 289 were new ems.