Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-11
NTERNATIONAL COMMERCE.

IL SAChnAANAg Nv LlaAAA6 HN
economist Of France, was recently ban
quoted by the Liverpool Chamber of
Commerce. In 1859 he was one of
the leaders Of the movement
which resulted in obtaining from
the British Government the pro-
posal, and from the French Emperor,
Napoleon III, the acceptance, of aeOm-
mercial treaty between the two coun-
tries much more liberal than any that
had previously existed. 1t was in fact
the establishment of the principle of
"free trade" This was the treaty In
behalf Of which NJ. Golden labored so
earnestly, and it was succeeded by nu-
merous other commercial treaties,
far more liberal in terms
than those then in existence
between the two great nations named
and between other leading govern
ments of Europe. England is the
only country where freedom OF. COM
merce is the controlling principle.
The varions commercialtreatie existing
between the different nations Of Eu-
rope, similar to or following the terms
of the reciprocity treaty between Great
Britain and France, soon expire by
limitation. This year viii bring their
renewal or rejection; hence the testing
point is approaching of the effect
which their operation has had upon
the popular mind or the views Of those
governments which have tried them.
In his speech at the banquet, N.
Chevaier seemed hopeful of the future.
He referred to the fact that the expe-
riment has been so successful that the
prejudice against the freedom Of inter-
| national commerce, held a haf a centu-
| ~ ago by the bulk of the population,
Is speedily vanishing, and n step
| further toward free trade would find a
| reader acceptance among manufacture
! srs and working men. All the railways
opened to traffic throughout Europe,
| all the steamers, swift as arrows, shell
tered in large numbers in many docks
and harbors, and especially at Liver
| pool, all those telegraph wires, reach
ing 70 far distant regions, which cross
| the air above continents, and which are
| buried IN ocean depths-an these Won
| ders Of modern science and industry
| would be merely vain and lying demon
| STATIONS were they not TO serve the
| purpose Of a more abundant and rapid
/ exchange between civilized countries.
But while he is hopeful, he is not en-
tirely confident. He says:
The Protectionists on the Continent
will spare no exertions to regain a part
| Of the ground they have lost. So pow
erful is the influence Of habit, even
with men of sense, that, among states
men. some still throw, from time
to time, a tender glance back on
the protection they one wOrshIpped,
in the same way that one experiences a
soft emotion IN the remembrance Of a
fret love. The PrOtectionists in some
countries try at present TO secure the
Government by means of their own,
which are worth being revealed. They
employ the cunning artifce by which,
according to the Holy Bible, the ser
pent succeeded IN deluding oU mother
Eve, and drew her 10 evil. The serpent
told her that if she listened To him and
ate the forbidden fruit she would &C.
quire knowledge and power. The Pro-
~tectiOnists approach the Governments,
who, on the Continent, and particular
ly in Italy, are muchinneed Of money,
and say hat by the process Of increas-
ing the customs duties, that Is to say,
by reverting TO protection, they will
add to their resources large sums Of
money. The promise is fallacious. A
! return TO protection cannot but ImpOv.
erish the nations, and consequently d.
minish the public revenue.
To the American reader. the most
interesting portion of N. Chevaier's
speech is that which refers to TIE
United States, and which we quote in
full:
Now let us speak of the great Repub-
| lie Of North America itself. Its inter-
| ests are intimately connected with those
| of your great town. However 1t may
for the time be deluded blythe apparent
| charm of protection, 1t viii, after due
| consideration. follow with the tide Of
| free trade. It cannot be in vain that
| Angles Saxon blood animates the Amer
| lean people. 1t is an energetic race,
| whose hands have accomplished one Of
/ the greatest marvels Of history, the
| subiugatiOn to the laws Of civilization
| Of a vast continent, hitherto under the
| ruleo Of a few wandering tribes of
ges. 1t has placed under cultivation
an extent Of country three times the
! size Of England and France put tOge-
| Their, and still there is much more to
cultivate, which the American does
; piece ypiecee every year. The more tan
| gible evidence OF an advanced state Of
| society. buildings, monuments, struc-
lures Of every kind, have been raised
on all sides by the Americans; each
State has an admirable network Of ca
nails and railroads, and Innumerable
edifces ereCted-sOme to the worship
Of God, others for universities and
schools of every degree, for legislative
! assemblies and immense manufactures.
The vast area Of the northern part of
the new continent has been e~mbeHished
with cities 50 populous that in Europe
they would form the capitals of power
full kingdoms. A nation so anxious to
possess all the Improvements of public
and private life, and so eminent by its
/ love and its practical sense Of liberties,
cannot much longer remain bound by
a system Of customs repugnant to the
principles Of progressive policy, Of
fensive TO the holy feeling Of brother
hood which ought to unite the whole
human race, opposed to the liberties Of
/ both the producer and consumer, de-
~structIye to the growth Of trade. The
Americans are too clever a people; they
| cannot possibly tolerate much longer
so fragrant and so obnoxious a con-
tradiction. The formation of the new
/ party Of the Changers" may be re-
| garded as the beginning of a powerful
! opposition to the domination Of protec-
| ton in the Great Republic of the New
| Continent. l beg leave to mention
here a fact which may have escaped the
| attention Of some Of the present COM
pany. You know one Of the aims of
the Americans is to inundate with their
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