The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-10-05
FREE TRADE IN FRANCE.

FREE TRADE IN FRANCE,
The recent visit to Paris of the great leader in the
cause of commercial reform, Mr.. Golden, has given
occasion for stronger expression in that capital
than we have before seen Of public sentiment In Ia
yor ola liberal commercial policy. He had the honor
of dining with the king Of the French. MIR. Cobden
was invited to a public dinner by the Association
of Economists. The Duke Of Harcourt preside /.
Around him were grouped members of both the
French chambers, eminent merchants, and dstin-
guished men of letters Several of the Partisan
journals were represented at the table; and, among
others, the Journal des Debats by M. Chevalier,
now professor Of political economy in the Royal
College Of France. Mr., Cobden's speech upon the
occasion was worthy Of his great reputation, and
was received with loud and long-conunued applause.
We translate from the French journals few ex-
tracts:
"Declining for myself therefore" says Mr. Cob
den "any exclusive merit IN the great work which
has been accomplished, allow me to congratulate
you on the importance Of our victory. Freedom OF
Trade Is one article added to the great charter
ofhuman liberty. II is new signal erected on the
path of the nations 10 show the progress OF elyliZt'
ton in the nineteenth century We had already
achieved freedom Of conscience, freedom OF speech,
and freedom of the press; and now we are In the
endowment Of eedom Of industry. | am free TO say
that could never consider myself as the citizen OF
country wholly free, so long as monoPoiy-thaI last
stigma OF seryitude, -was suffered to deprive my
eountrymen Of the just recompepse OF their labor
and their skill"
After reviewing and refuting, with admirable Pi1h
and condemnation, the various sophstries resOned
to by the restretioniss in England Mr. Golden
thus alIudes to the last argument upon which the
defeated party in England yenured TO rally. We
give his remarks briefly, because we think that we
can remember to have heard just the same argument
urged not very long ago by the same party Of re-
striclonists 10 this country:
"Some Of the protectonsts," says Mr. CObden,
'indeed the ablest OF them, utterly at fault 10 defend
their positions by any reasUnings based on Tact, have
sought % take refuge in contempt Of all theory,
we argrce with YOU they said, in principle we
admit that theoretically, you free trade men IN
the right Our reply was, we are not fighting
shad vs., but VIC conendIng with numerous
body Of Aesh.and- blood monopoists, whose eNic-
,lons are altogether too real and palpable, and
put il to yourselves TO tell whether you will main
tain thut the eighth commandment ia only a theory
and an GbsiTartioRp Oh, Of all others, give me
man for opponent who will grant that am right
II theory We knew well that we had settled the
mater with the protecton!sts, from the very instant
when brought them to acknowledge the justice
Of our principles in theory"
We commend these pithy sentences Of the great
free trade leadcrto those American doctors in political
economy who avowsdly, in the face OF all theory,
would make another desperate rally for the tariff
Of l5i2.
In commenting upon the reception Of Mr.. Cob.
den at Paris, the principal Partisan journals have
taken occasion to define their own positions on the
r. Ia. ~ h.
mnisuy--the Des DtJats--led the way. Some
what unexpectedly, at least to US, that influential
journal gives in its full adhesion in principle and IN
practice 10 the doctrines Of free trade This is
manifestation Of French opinion at once significant
and important. The D65ats reasons with great
force in favor of its position. Il shows that
liberal commercial policy involves 10 itself "the
holy ard noble cause Of universal peace" 1t urges
that freedom Of trade is the means through which
each country may furnish itself with all that ii
wants-nay produce what il is best fitted to proauce
at the cheapest rate, and with the best opportunity
to dispose Of its productions advantsgeousy 1t
shows, further, that under a system Of pro-
lection, all the operations of business become
complicated, and perverted, expensive, aud diff
cult. FINALLY" it adds, ''the protective sys-
TEN results only in economical deceit and delu-
SION It profits only few branches of human in
dustry, controlled by men more opulent or more
dexterous than their fellows" The Debats con-
cudcs its article by exhortins the government forth
with 10 commence a era of commercial liberty
undaunted by the clamors which such policy will,
without dorbt, awaken.
Two other Partisan journals, the Steele, and the
Constitutional, representing The old liberal party in
France hold similar language with the Debats. The
other sections of the opposition, represented by the
Esprit Publque, and the National, express distrust
Of the new commercial policy, mainly, it would
seem, because that policy has been adv coated and
adopted in England.
A somewhat singular spectacle is thus presented
in France. The organs of the government clare
for free trade. The organs Of the opposition OPP
pose such reform. But the inference is inevitable
that free-trade opinions fast gaining ground
among the French statesmen and the French peo-
pie. 1t is not too much to say that, long, in
all probability France will enter upon that career Of
liberal commercial leg station, which is in harmony
with all the tendencies of our times, and which has
already achieved triumph, and begun to dispense
its blessings in the United States
Mr. Golden has since visited Bordeaux, where
he met with cordial and distinguished reception
AT home they were preparing for him fortune
which was sufficient TO smooth the descent of his
declining years. The subscription had already
amounted to between 970, 600 and fS00O0 1t is
intended TO raise it to Sl00000
OUR ARMY IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY.
A few days ago the National Inteigencer repub-
certainly without the slightest sign of protest dis
appreciation, letter purporting to be written by an