The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-02-08
EUROPE
COMMERCIAL TREATY BETWEEN FRANCE
AND ENGLAND

COMMERCIAL TREATY BETWEEN FRANCE
AND ENGLAND.
The most important item of foreign intelligence
by the late arrivals is the formation of a CONNER
cial treaty between England and France We give
below the letter of Louis Napoleon to his Minister
OF State, showing the basis of the contemplated ar
rangements, and also the conclusion of leader in
the London Times on the subject:
From the Moniteur, January ST.
INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL REFORM
IN FRANCE.
"PALAcE OF THE TUILERIEs, Jan. &. 1860
"Monsieur le Ministre Notwithstanding the
tainty that still prevails on certain points of
foreign policy, pacific solution may confidently
be foreseen. The moment has therefore arrived
for occupying ourselves with the means of pivinp n
great stimulus to the several branches of the na-
tional wealth.
81 address to you with this object the basis of a
programme several parts of which will have to re-
celve the appreciation of the Chambers, and upon
which you will concert with your colleagues in
order to prepare the measures best adapted to give
agriculture, industry and commerce lively i'm
pulse.
"The truth has been long proclaimed /. that the
means of exchange must be multiplied in order to
render commerce hourishing; that witho ut compe-
tition industry remains stationary. and keeps up
nigh prices. which are opposed to increase of con-
sumption; that without a prosperous industry to
develop capital, agriculture itself remains in
state OF infancy. There is a general connection
then, in the successive development of the elements
OF public prosperity But the essential question is
to know within what limits the State ought to
favor these several interests, and what order of
preference it ought to grant to each of them
therefore, before developing our foreign trade
by the exchange of produce, our agriculture must
be improved and our industry freed from all the
internal fetters that place it in state of neriority
AT present not only are our great undertakings
lmpeded by host of restrictive regulations but
even the welfare of those who labor is far from
In dave AlOtNFo ~ h.,
boring country. 1t is, then, only a general system
of good political economy that can, by creating
national wealth, distribute competency among the
working class.
tcipate in the benefits of banking institutions To
clear away forests situated in plains to replant
the mountains with trees, to lay out every year
considerable sum on great works of drainage
irrigation and tilage. These works by transform
ing waste lands into cultivated grounds, will en-
rich the communes without impoverishing the
State, which will get back its advances by the
sale OF part of those lands restored to agricul-
ture.
"To encourage industrial production it is peces-
sary to free from all duty the raw material indis-
pensable to industry, and to lend it. exceptionally
and at moderate per centage, as has been already
done to agriculture for drainage the ceptal that
will assist it in perfecting its material
Gone OF the greatest services to be rendered to
the country is to facilitate the carriage of materials
absolutely required by industry; to this end, the
minister OF Iuollc WORKS VIII cause to be made,
as promptly as possible, ways of communication
canals, reads and railways, which will have for
their especial object the conveyance of coal and
manures to the spots where the needs of production
demand them, and he will endeavOr to reduce the
tariffs, whilst establishing fair rivalry between
the canals and the railways
The encouragement to commerce through the
multiplication of the means Of exchange will then
come as the natural consequences of the preceding
measures The gradual reduction of the tax upon
provisions of general consumption will then be a
necessity well as the substitution of protective
duties for the prOhibitive system which limits our
commercial relations.
"By these measures agriculture will find a mar
ket for its produce; industry being released from
its internal shackles, assisted by the government,
stimulated by competition, will contend advantage
ously with foreign products, and our trade instead
OF languishing, will take a fresh spring.
"Desirous before everything that order should
be maintained in our finances this is how, without
disturbing their equilibrium, these improvements
may be obtained:
"The conclusion of peace has permitted the total
amount of the loan not to be exhausted A CON
siderable balance remains dsposabIe which Joined
to other resources, reaches about leo millions In
demanding the authorization Of the Corps Legisla-
tif to apply this to great public works
and in dividing it into three annuties there would
be about 80 millions year to add to the consider
able sums already assigned annually to the budget
"Ihls extraordinary resource will facilitate for
US not only the prompt completion of the RAILWAYS
canals navigable routes, roads and harbors but it
will also enable us to repair our cathedrals our
churches, and worthily to encourage the sciences,
letters and arts.
''To compensate the loss that the Treasury will
momentarlly experience by the reduction Of the
duties on the materials and articles of general
consumption as food, our budget offers the resource
OF the sinking fund, which may be suspended until
the public revenue. raised by the increase of trade
shall permit the fund in question to come into
operation again.
''Ihus, to sum up:-SuppressiUa of the duties on
wool and cottOns; gradual reduction on sugars and
cotees; Improvement energetically carried out of
the routes of communications reduction of charges
on the canals, and consequently general diminu-
ton OF the prices Of conveyancel to agriculture
and industry; considerable works of public utility;
suppression of prohibition; treaties of commerce
with foreign Powers.
"Such are the general bases of the programme
to which beg you to direct the attention of YOUR
colleagues, who will have to prepare without DELAY
the projects of law destined to realize it. 1t will
obtain, am firmly convinced, the patriotic support
of the Senate and Corps Legisatif, both jealouslv
deslrous of inaugurating with me a new era Of
peace and of securing its benefits to France.
"Whereupon pray God to have you in His holy
keeping. NApoLEoy."
IL H..