The Sun.
London, England, 1825-11-10 00:00:00

[THE TIMES.]

A Paris correspondent, with whose means of
knowledge we are satisfied, and on whose' ve-
racity. we can rely, has informed us of the total
.failure of all attempts, at'present, to form a com-
mercial treaty with France. The main object
of Mr. Huskisson's mission has therefore been as
completely-frustrated as if he had asked for the
cession of I3ourdeaux, Brest, or Marseilles. 'The
Right Hon. Gentleman visited Paris in very fa-
vourable circumstances, and with strong claims to
personal regard. He was preceded by state-
ments of the relaxation of our commercial policy,
brought about in no inconsiderable degree by his
own enlightened labours—he was known to be
our Trade Minister, and a great. authority on all
questions of trade ; and having made a long "stay
in France at a former but less distinguished
period of his life, he was well acquainted with
.the French character, and could the more easily
'address himself to French prejudices. Mr. Has-
k4son availed himself of all those advantages—
.and, as his mission was intended in the first in-
stance, rather to sound the Court and the Minis-
try_than to make any distinct propositions, he was
enabled •to ascertain their bias, without alarming
their interests or their jealousy. From the King
he met with the most.kind reception,. and the most
attentive hearing, but nothing more: For every
matter of business his Majesty continually re-
ferred him to M. de Villele, in whom he ap-
peared to place implicit reliance, and who
appeared to enjoy his entire confidence. His
expressions of obligation to the British people
'for their services to himself and his family'
never terminated in any suggestion for a more
beneficial and less restricted commercial inter-
course.. M. de Villele, on the other hand,
though apparently cordial in the expression of
his feelings on all questions of European politics,
put himself in an attitude of 'defence whenever
the commercial relations of the two countries
came on the carpet, and acted with as much
'.c.autioti as if he had been playing a losing game
'with a skilful antagonist. He spoke of the pre-
judices of his countrymen—of the difficulty of
adjuSting the different interests of the 'classes of
manufacturers and agriculturists to a new sys-
tettiL-41itd of the opposition he might meet with
. in the Chamber at a time when he had so many
other affairs of importance to'rnatiage. In short,
the end of their conferences generally amounted
to. this—that nothing at present could be done.
Independently of the authority on whiCh we state
these facts, we may add our own opinion, that
teasonitig a priori .they would appear extremely
prbbable. .French Statesmen in general are not
• much enlightened in' qoeStionS of political eco-
* homy ; and M. de Villele, thoug'h a dexterous
and,well acquainted with the details of
trade.and finance, does not form an exception.
They generally conceive that Great Britain has
ac4uired her prosperity by means of her corn-
rcercial 'restrictions; and not in spite of them.
They therefore reply to .all our invitations to
adopt' a More liberal' system, that " they can-
.not yet
,afford to be liberal—that we must
wait till, by pursuing our example in the
.:4fatay: of exclusion, they gain that trading
"-ectilnence whiCli will , enable them to follow
c‘,.tiSiiiitti safety into our new field of competi-
Both:Chambers are filled with men, who,
destitute-of systematic knowledge on this subject,
arel.elther ,to(i old to learn, or too proud to be
insie.ucted by a rival and who would, therefore,

4i-ive out any Minister who would propose any
commercial relaxation of the violence of their
prejudices, anethe clamours of their opposition.
Wdbucie seen a.book written only two years ago
by
•slate Minister of the Interior (M. De Vau-
blanc), in which the SagiCious Frenchman, iu
comparing the extent of the commerce, and the

amount Of the prosperity of France and England,
marks down the excess of imports (over exports)
from any particular country as a positive loss,
and the excess of exports a positive gain. With
such legislators and statesmen as this (and yet
M. De Vaublanc is the rival of M. De St. Cricq,
who may be styled the French President of the
Board of Trade), what chance would M. De
Villele run of carrying a commercial treaty that
would encourage the importation of a single
pound of cotton twist, or a single additional pen-
knife into France ?