The Sun.
London, England, 1841-10-02 00:00:00

Ll Eit'i A il) Y OF MEWS

AND
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" Who runs may read."

ronziGN.

The negotiations for a commercial treaty between
France and Belgium have been broken off for the pre-
sent. The rock upon which they split was the iron
trade, for which M. Drouillard, the French representa-
tive of that interest, demanded the continuance of the old
protecting duties. We are glad to find the monopolists
attacked in most of the leading journals. The Consti-
tutionnelsays—" The negotiations relative to the com-
mercial treaty with Belgium are suspended, perhaps
abandoned. As the discussion went on, they
ceased to correspond in character with the
debut, and a host of conflicting interests threw obstacles
in the way of the leading questions. Several branches
of industry entered a sort of veto against the proposed
reduction of duties upon goods similar to those which
they manufacture, and the iron-masters revived the old
arguments against being tributary to foreign countries,
and being able, in case of war, to supply ourselves, &c.
These persons are always putting forward the hypothesis
of war, in order that the country may not enjoy the ad-
vantages of peace, and that they may continue to carry
on a monopoly, which is so onerous to consumers."
The Courrar Francais follows in the same strain :
" When we talk of a treaty with England, the iron-masters
put in their veto, and say, ' You are going to ruin our
establishments—where would you get your iron from
in the event of war ?' M. Drouillard uses the same ar-
gument against a commercial treaty with Belgium, and
talks of our becoming tributary for our instruments of
war to the high furnaces of foreign States. To this
eternal objection of the partisans of monopoly we reply,
that the annihilation of the ironworks of France would
not take place even if iron were to be admitted duty free
from Belgium, Ent-,land, Prussia, Sweden, and Bassin.
We do not, however, ask for the admission of foreign iron
duty free,we merely ask for the modification of the existing
duty. The iron trade has slept, as it were,undcr the influence
of protecting laws. We do not wish suddenly to inter-
fere, and carry perturbation into the iron-works of
France ; we repeat, that we ask only for a moderate and
gradual reduction of duty, so as to rouse the French
iron-masters to competition. The exorbitant privilege
enjoyed by the French iron-masters, without enriching
them, perhaps, has already cost 600 millions of francs
to the country. An end must be put to these sacri-
fices. The interest of the producer is certainly entitled
to consideration, but only when it does not place itself
in direct opposition with that of the consumer.
On the Paris Bourse on Thursday. great excite-
ment was caused by the announcement of the
failure of a partner of one of the jobbers for a
sum of about 24,0001. sterling ; the transaction is
reported to be a very dishonest one. A series of such
tricks was expected. The guilty party decamped, and
is probably by this time in London.

PAX:ZVI:LIEN T.anY.

The Earl of Radnor last night, on presenting some
petitions, remonstrated strongly against proroguing the
Parliament without taking some measures to remedy
the present state of things. He declared that the Govern-
ment was ineurrinc, a fearful responsibility by doing so.
The Duke of Wellington said there was no time to in-
quire, and he would take the responsibility of advising
her Majesty to prorogue the Parliament.
The Duke of Portland moved for some correspondence
relative to the late Rome Secretary refusing to counte-
nance the proceedings of one Mr. T,lnwin, a Magistrate
of Mansfield, who, in his zeal to put down Chartism,
had set to, like an Orange Magistrate in Ireland, to
search for arms.

Vv
The Marquis of Normanby objected to the motion,
and defended his own conduct, which Lord Wharneliffe
most severely condemned. He insisted that the Noble
Marquis ought to have supported the Magistrate, and
no doubt Lord Wharncliffe will, whatever they may do.
The Magistrates, like the law, must be obeyed, because
they are the Magistrates, let them do what they will.
We may be prepared, then, for what the Tories will do.
The motion was withdrawn, the Duke of Portland being
satisfied with the chastisement which Lord Wharncliffe
had given the Marquis of Normanby.
The Commons, besides transacting a variety of routine
business, debated the third reading of the Poor-law Com-
mission Bill, which Mr. Fielding moved to postpone for
six months. None of the Tories showed against the Bill.
The poor cravens eat in the House the words they
spouted at the hustings to cheat the electors. The Bill was
read a third time. Both Houses sit, to forward some
Bills, this day.