Star.
London, England, 1817-02-05 00:00:00

GERMAN AND DU TCH PAPERS.

A Dutch Mail arrive4this morning, bringing a
variety of Journals, from which we have given es•
tracts in a preceding page.
If we may credit the statements in these Papers,
the term for the payment of the French contributions
has been actually prolnrg•J by the Allied Powers,
in such a manner that the whole payments will take
seven years, counting from the beginning of the pre-
sent year. The Army of Ozcupation is also to suffer
a reduction—say, to be in future 120,0 at, in place of
150,003 men. •

A r:onsmercial Treaty betw•eeu this Country and
France is also talked of. It this is actually in train,
let us hope that it will he settled on the most liberal
principles. Nothing else can render the commercial
intercourse between the two countriermutually bene-
&jai ; and where the benefits are not reciprocal, it
is impossible that commerce can be carried on with
that spirit and enterprise which are necessary, not
merely to its growth and increase, but even to its
exiaence.

To force Commerce to seek devious and indirect
coarsen, is to annihilate a portion of the fair fruits of
industry without benefit to any one. Were no re-
straints imposed upon the barter of nations, the pro-
ducts of each finding the most direct path to the con-
sumer, the benefit would be general. Mankind consi-
dered as one great family, sacrifices a portion of the
general stock by every effortto force in one place what
is yielded spontaneously or with less labour in ano-
ther ; while the labour, so thrown away by one people,
might nctually be employed in the production of ar-
ticles for which their own local circumstances are
peculiarly adapted ; and in the attempt to produce
' which, others, though not possessing the same ad-
vantages, are actually wasting their labour jp revenge
for the exclusory edicts of their impolitic neighbours.
In one word, the injury resulting from misapplied in-
dustry, arising out of impolic restraints on commerce,
is equally injurious to all.—For example : to force
the Silk Trade in England. and the Cotton Trade in
France, is equally injurious to both : were both of
these laid open between the two counties, they
would in a few years flow mutually in that propor-
tion which would be found most beneficial to both
countries ; because the quantum would if: fact be that
which the interest of each. operating without restraint,
had called into activity. It is extremely probable that
we should have to remark the almost total annihilation
of the manufacture of silk goods in this country; but,
oa the other hand, we would experience a propor-
tionate extension of our cotton manufactures. The
hands now employed in weaving silk would gradu-
ally be transferred to the manufacture of cotton goods;
while in France the process would be reversed ► each
seeking and pursuing that occupatioe that is found
to yield the greatest remuneration to the individuals.
The prices of corn contioue to fall en the Conti.
vent. in consequence partly of the fine open winter,
and partly from the spring of speculation having been
suetched to that pitch, that by its own counteraction
it has begun to unbend itself. We are sorry, how-
ever, to observe, that in some places, a disease has
appeared among the 'aide and sheep—occasioned by
the bad food of last season.

Monday afternoon, at five o'clock, her Mantic
received the Addresses of the two Houses of Parlia-
ment upon the marriage of the Princess Way with
the Duke of .GLOUCllinen.
Yesterday the LORD MAYOIAMId a Court of Alder-
men for the general dispatch of bthiness, which was
fully attended. Seven bars of gold weighing about
1,000 ounces were produced, and sworn-to as foreign
prior to exportation. Mr. Join. ADDISON NEWMAN,
the keeper of Newgate, attended, and begged to re-
sign his situation, which the Coon agreed to, and
directed him to officiate therein until a successor
should be appointed. •
Yeserday, at three o'clock, a Common Council
was convened, for the purpose of considering the
propriety of presenting an Address to his Royal
Highness the Panics RROXIIT, On the late atro-
cious attack mode u_pon his Royal'. person. On
the entrance of the LORD MAYOR into the Council
Chamber, strangers were ordered to withdraw;—
and we understand that, in our absence, the Re-
comma objected that the words contained in the
Requisition were not sufficiently strong to express the
atrocious outrage which had been committed upon
his Royal Highness. We further learnt,. that Mr.
DAVIS, who was one of the parties to the requisition,
proposed, that the Court should act, and enter into
the discussion of the day, without ary Requisition I
but that the Aldermen refused to make their appear-
ance. and of course no debate could take place. The
Court was accordingly dissol►ed.

A Court of Common Council was in consequence
held this day, at nine o'clock, " For the purpose of
considering the propriety of presenting an Address to
his Royal Highness the PRINCE REGENT, on his late
pc ovidential escape from the traitorous assault offered
to his Royal Highness's person, in St. James's Park,
on his return from the House cif Lords, in the dis-
charge of the functions of our beloved Sovereign ;"
when 'a loyal and affectionate Address was voted,
wbiclt will probably be presented this afternoon by
the LORD MAYOR, with the usual attmdants. -

The expression used in the Requisition was ca.
tainly very exceptionable. It WAS ato consider of
the propriety of presenting an Address of Cungra-.
tulation to his ROYAL HIGHNESS' on his providential
escape from the atrocious assaulu"—of what .4 of
some rash aid iates‘aerafs Wiridosa4 ! in St. James's
On'his return from the ill:nue of Lords, an the
disciarge of the functions of our beloved Sovereign."
—Th.: Reponse observed, that the Court could not
act un a Requisition which only gave the term c. rash
god isarasikrass" to ap atitrage which amounted to
4.0 treason. •
•
. •