The Express.
London, England, 1861-03-22 00:00:00

MR. COBDEN AND THE COMMERCIAL
TREATY WITH FRANCE.

TO TEI TIMOR OT THE LEMUR&

letter irom Mr. Cobden
is intended for publication. May Irequest as a favour
that you will allow it to appear in your columns ?
I am, &c., E. S. RI LIB, Mayor.
Leicester, March 20.

Algiers, March 12, 1861.

Dear Sir,—l have received the address of the mayor,
aldermen, and burgesses of Leicester, bearing your signa-
ture, thanking me for my exertions in negotiating the com-
mercial treaty with France.
The perusal of this eloquent address has afforded me
great pleasure. It deplores the many generations of Eng-
lishmen and Frenchmen who have lived in • state of hosti-
lity owing to their mutual jealousies and distrust,
and the ruinous consequences that bans been entailed on
both countries, and it hails the treaty as the auspicious
COM of • happier and more peaceful era. These eentimenta
have my warmest sympathy, and I frankly avow that they
expresso the considerations and motives which, more than
the material interesta involved, though the two are insepa-
rable, have inspired my humble but zealous efforta to remove
the obstacles which impeded the commercial intercourse
between the two countries. I have the best reason for
knowing that these considerations weighed also with pre-
ponderating force in the motives which induced the French
government to enter into the treaty. And I have the finn
conviction that, with time and the exercise of • little
mutual forbearance, these hopes and aspirations may be
realised.

But whilst the entire main of our industrious population
seem to share these feelings, we cannot unfortunately close
our eyes to the unpleasant fact, demonstrated by the expe-
rience of the last year, that we have among us individuals,
if not an entire class, occupying positions of great influence,
who are actuated by totally opposite sentiments.
In referring for the Brit and last time to the attempts
made by those to whom I allude to defeat the negotiation
of the treaty, it is not to complain of their attacks on
myself. If by their bold and persistent misrepresentations
they did succeed in causing me some anxiety at one stage
of my labours, from the fear that the manufacturing com-
munity would be so far misled as to prevent the Cham•
tiers of Commerce from affording me the personal co-opera-
tion in Paris necessary for the completion of my task,
the unswerving confidence with which those bodies
honoured me throughout the negotiations, and the unani-
mous approbation which they have expressed of the result,
leave me in no humour to quarrel with my opponents. I
allude to them now merely to draw from their peat conduct
a warning for the future.
It must not be forgotten that those public speakers and
journalists, who, without one fact to justify them—for they
would not wait for the facts—charged the French govern-
ment with deliberate deception and treachery towards me
in the affair of the treaty, are the same persons who have
incessantly proclaimed the hostile designs of that govern-
ment upon our peace and security, who have accused it of
having made formidable naval preparations, and who are
for ever discovering its plots and conspiracies against our
interests in all parts of the world.

And their accusations are just as little entitled to credit
in the one case as the other. I offer this as my deliberate
judgment after nearly fig teen months' residence in France,with
the beet possible opportunities of obtaining a knowledge of
those facts which can alone afford the means of arriving at
• correct conclusion ; and claiming for myself in other re-
spects no greater advantage over my opponents than in the
possession of that moderate share of sagacity and temper
which enabled me to take a more correct view than them-
selves of the designs of the French government with regard
to the treaty. Yes, those parties have subjected themselves
to another and more serious disadvantage.
When • witness is convicted of giving false evidence
against his neighbour his testimony is for ever discredited
by • jury of his countrymen ; and should the parties to
whom I allude be found again charging the French govern-
ment with treacherous designs, and arrogating to themselves
exclusive sources of information respecting its intentions, we
' should be wanting in discernment and sagacity, and be
guilty of great injustice towards that government., if after
the specimens we have had of their rash and unscrupulous
allegations we were to allow our judgment to be in the
slightest degree influenced by their statements.
I will only add, that the industrious population of Eng-
land, who will soon be brought into intimate commercial
relations with the French people, have it in their power
to frown down the efforts of those who, from
whatever motives, seek to sow dissensions between
them and embitter the relations of the two
countries. To their good sense and sound feeling I
confidently confide the task of securing for us those moral
results of the treaty to which your address attaches so just
a value, by cultivating the sentiments of peace and goodwill
with their powerful, intelligent, and amiable neighbour.
Begging you to assure the members of your council of my
very high appreciation of the approval with which they
have honoured my services,

I remain, your most obedient servant,
E. S. ElEa, Esq., Mayor. It. COBDEN.

Boats—The following is an extract from a pri-
vate letter from Rome :—" Daily we hope to see the
entrance of Victor Emmanuel into Home. I hope this
prayer of every bean will soon be realised. I have read
the speeches made by Messrs. Pline.hon and BoSey in favour
of the Pope, the King of Naples, &c., in the French Senate.
Is it possible there are animals so vegetative ? These
Codini wish that Italysbould be divided, and remain iu its
pristine state ; because they fancy the existence of a free
date in the South of 21,00000 of men, is contrary to the in-
tercets of Franco. Austria and Germany will not have Italy
united, because opposed to their security. The ex•kinge
and princes, Italians, not by birth, but solely by sove-
reignty, protest against it as contrary to their power and in-
terests. So that according to this resuming, the fate of
Italy is to be determined by considerations of everybody's
interest and pleasure, except those of her own sons. Enough.
Gad is great ; and I believe this time He has covered as
with His hand."

QUALIFICATIONS TOR OPTIC= BILL —We gave
yesterday • list of the Lord' who voted on Tuesday for this
bill, which abolishes the declerstion now required to be
taken by members of municipal bodies and others not to
exercise their official power to damage the church esta-
blishment. Last year only twentynne peers supported
the bill, forty-four opposing it. This year it was supported
by thirty-eight spinet forty•nine ; the majority against
it being reduced from twenty three to eleven. Only four
members of the episcopal bench—the Archbishop of Canter-
bury and the Bishops of London, Carlisle, and Llandaff—
were present ; but the/ all voted against the bill, notwith-
standing Lord Taunton s solemn appeal to them to put an
end to the present profane appeal to the Deity. The rat
of its opponents were for the most part conservative.
Dinpistehivi froni Washington, of the Bth instant,
in the New York papers, st...te that Yr. Skwanl was
seriously ill, and that there was much anxiety about him.