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

f MR. COBDEN AND THE COMMERCIAL
TREATY 11711 H _PRANCE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The accompanying letter from Mr. Cobden
is intended for publication. May I request as a
favour that you will allow it to appear in your
columns?—l am, &c„

E. S. ELLIS, Mayor.
Leicester, March 20.

Algiers, March 12, 1861.

Dear Sir,—l have received the address of the
mayor, aldermen, and burgesses of Leicester, bear-
ing your signature, thanking me for my exertions
in negotiating the commercial treaty with France.
The perusal of this eloquent address has afforded
me great pleasure. It deplores the many genera-
tions of Englishmen and Frenchmen who have
lived in a state of hostility owing to their mutual
jealousies and distrust,and the ruinous, consequences
that have been entailed on both countries, and it
bails the treaty as the auspicious omen of a hap-
pier and more peaceful era. These sentiments have
my warmest sympathy, and I frankly avow thai
they express the considerations and motives which,
more than the material interests involved, though
the two are inseparable, have inspired my humble
but zealous efforts to remote the obstacles which
impeded the commercial intercourse between the
two countries. I have the best reason for know-
ing that these considerations weighed also with
preponderating force in the motives which in-
duced the French Government to enter into
the treaty. And I have the firm conviction
that, with time and the exercise of a little
mutual forbearance, these hopes and aspirations
may be realised.

But whilst the entire mass of our industrious
population seem to share these feelings, we cannot
unfortunately close our eyes to the unpleasant fact,
demonstrated by the experience of 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 first 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 community
would be so far misled as to prevent the Chambers
of Commerce from affording me the personal co-
operation in Paris necessary for the completion of
my task, the unswerving confidence with which
those bodies honoured me throughout the negotia-
tions, and the unanimous 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 past conduct a
warning for the future.

It mist 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 Government with deliberate deception
and treachery towards me in the affair of the treaty,
are the same persons who have incessantly pro-
claimed the hostile designs of that Government upo❑
our peace and security, who have accused it of
having made formidable naval preparations and
who are for ever discovering its plots and con-
spiracies 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 15 months'
residence in France, with the best.possible oppor-
tunities of obtaining a knowledge of those facts
which can alone afford the means of arriving
at a correct conclusion; and claiming for myself in
other respects no greater advantage over my oppo-
nents than in the possession of that moderate share
of sagacity and temper which enabled me to take a
more correct view than themselves 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 a witness is convicted of giving false evi-
dence against his neighbour his testimony is for ever
discredited by a jury of his countrymen; and should
the parties to whom I allude be found again charg-
ing the French Government with treacherous de-
signs, 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 go-
vernment, 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 England, 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 dissen-
sions 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 power-
ful, 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. Ellis, E;q., Mayor.

R. COBDEN.

ROME.--The following is an extract from a pri-
vate letter from Rome :—"Daily we hope to see the entrance
of Victor Emmanuel into Rome. I hope this prayer of
every heart will soon be realised. I have read the speeches
made by Messrs. Plinchon and Boissy in favour of the
Pope, the King of Naples, &c., in the French Senate.
.Is
it possible there are animals so vegetative ? These Cochin
wish that Italy should be divided, and remain in its pris-
tine state; because they fancy the existence of a free state
in the South of 21,000,000 of men, is contrary to the in •
terests of France. Austria and Germany will not have Italy
united, because opposed to their security. Tho ex-kings
and princes, Italians, not by birth, but solely by sove-
reignty, protest against it as contrary to their power and
interests. So that according to this reasoning, the fate of
Italy is to be determined by considerations of everybody's
interest and pleasure, except those of her own sons. Enough.
God is great; and I believe this time He has covered us
with his hand."

INTENDED OUTBREAK AMONG THE CONVICTS AT
CHATHAM.—The coercive measures recently resorted to by
the authorities to put a stop to outbreaks among the Call.
victs at this establishment, appear not to have had the
desired effect, for there still exists much discontent among
them, and a determined hostility to the governor's autho-
rity and that of the officers under him. A plot was
formed, it appears, to take possession of the prison, and
secure the warders, and Wednesday was the day fixed on
to carry it out ; but this was happily discovered by a
Communication which the governor received previously
to the prisoners arriving at the prison for dinner. The
plan was that as soon as the gangs had entered the prison
they were to fasten all the doors and secure the warders,
and as the clerks leave at 12 o'clock, they would then ob-
tain the control of the prison and do as they liked. Infor-
mation of the plot was sent to the military authorities here
by the governor, Captain Powell, and a body of upwards
of 300 soldiers, each supplied with 10 rounds of ball cart-
ridge, arrived with several officers, under command of
Colonel Jervis, IA depot battalion. They took up their
position in the vicinity of the prison, to be in readiness to
act against the convicts if required. The presence of such
a force, drawn up in line with fixed bayonets, had the effect
of overawing the prisoners, and they entered the prison
very quietly. The troops remained under arms some hours.
It appears that those who concocted the plot are now in
irons, awaiting an order from the Home Office as to their
disposal.
THE ROYAL TOMB-HOUSE AT WINDSOR.—The
Royal Tomb-house, in which the body of the late
Duchess of Kent will be temporarily deposited, is a
lofty stone edifice, to which access is gained through
a subterraneous passage situated at the foot of the
altar in George's Chapel. It was originally built
by Henry VII., as a burial place for himself and
his successors ; that monarch, however, altering his pur-
pose, designed the magnificent chapel at Westminster,
whore his antique and stately monument has been the
admiration of thousands. Cardinal Wolsey, on
coming into possession of the structure at Windsor,
began a sumptuous cenotaph for himself, whence
this building obtained the name of the " Wolsey
Tomb-house." Previously to his disgrace the cardinal
had nearly completed his object. The monument was
composed of white and black marble, with elaborately
wrought brazen columns, candlesticks, &c., and it is said
that Benedetti had received 4,250 ducats for what he
had executed, and that the expense of gilding had already
exceeded £3BO. The unfinished tomb was seized by the
Parliament in 1646, and the crnaments were sold to Colonel
Venn, the Governor of Windsor Castle, as "old brass," for
£6OO. James 11. then fitted the place up as a Roman Ca-
tholic chapel. This aroused the indignation of the people,
and from that time down to the reign of George 111. the pro-
perty remained neglected. George 111. repaired the exterior
and excavated a vault 15 feet in depth, which he had fitted
up as a mausoleum, under the direction of Mr. Wyatt, for
himself and family. On each side of the vault, which oor-
\ responds with the dimensions of the building, are recesses,
formed by Gothic octagonal columns, each with a range of
four shelves to receive the bodies of the deceased. The in-
terior has since been completely repaired, the royal tombs
having been long beneath a floor of rubbish. The turrets
and pinnacles have also been restored. In the royal tomb-
house are buried Georges 111. and IV. and William IV. ;
Queen Charlotte and Queen Adelaide ; the Dukes of Yoik
and Kent; the Princesses Amelia, Charlotte, and Augusta ;
and the Princes Octavius and Alfred i and ogig rev.'
personages, _—

CO U 1 OF COlll aoN COUNCIL.

A Court of Common Council was held yesterday
in the Council Chamber Guildhall.

The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor presided.
THE COAL DUES.

The LORD MAYOR informed the court that be
hadtveceived a communication from the committee
appointed by the House of Commons to consider the
subject of the local taxation of the metropolis, re-
questing certain information. The question was
one of very considerable importance, and he
thought therefore that the letter had better be read.
The CHAMBERLAIN accordingly read the commu-
nication referred to, which required that the com-
mittee should be furnished with extracts from the
records of the corporation, showing the amount of
money levied upon coals, &c., prior to the year
1831, and the objects to which such money was
applied, and also the authority under which such
dues were levied. The corporation was also re-
quired to furnish a statement of all moneys raised
by them, and the nature of the different securities
or obligations under which such moneys had been
raised. He said that, in effect, the same informa-
tion was sought to be obtained from him when he
was examined by the committee of the House of
Commons on Monday last, but he declined to give
it, because in point of fact it was disclosing the
title of the corporation to the privileges they claimed,
which be, as a non-legal officer, did not consider
himself justified in doing without their authority.
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR then moved a resolution that
the subject should be referred to the Coal, Corn,
and Finance Committee, which was carried unani-
mously.