Evening journal., 1893-05-13
NAPOLEON ON REcIPRocITX
A Possible Reason Why England Was Al
ways Ready to Fight Him.

A Possible Reason why England Was Al
ways Ready to Fight Him.
Napoleon was in very good spirits
and seemed very desirous to show that
though he had ambition England was
not without her share also. He said that
ever since the time Of Cromwell we had
set up extraordinary pretensions and
arrogated ~ ourselves the dominion OF
the sea; that after the peace Of Amiens
Lord Sidmouth wished to renew the for
mer treaty of commerce, which had been
made by Vergennes after the American
war, but tho he (Napoleon), anxious to
encourage the industry Of France, had
expressed his readiness to enter into a
treaty, not like the former, which it was
clear from the portfolio Of Versailles
must be injurious to the interests Of
France, but on terms Of perfect reci-
procity-viz, that if France took so
many millions Of English goods England
should take as many millions of French
produce in return. Lord Sidmouth said:
"This is totally new. Icannot make q
treaty on these conditions"
"Very well. / cannot force you into a
treaty Of commerce any more than you
can force me, and we must remain as we
are-without commercial intercourse"
"Then," said Lord Sidmouth, there
will be war, for unless the people Of
England have the advantages Of COM
merce secured to them which they have
been accustomed to they will force me
to declare war"
GAS you please. 1t is my duty to
study the just interests of France, and
l shall not enter into any treaty Of COM
merce ON other principles than those
have stated"
Hestated that although England made
Malta the pretext, all the world knew
that was not the real cause of the rup-
ture-that he was sincere in his desire
for peace, as proof of which he sent his
expedition to San Domingo. When it was
remarked by Colonel Campbell that Eng
land did not think him sincere, from his
refusing a treaty of commerce and send
ing consuls to Ireland with engineers to
examine the harbors, he laughed and
said that was not necessary, for every
harbor in England and Ireland was well
known to him. Bertrand remarked that
every ambassador was a spy.
Napoleon said that the Americans ad-
mitted the justness Of his principles Of
commerce. Formerly they brought over
some millions Of tobacco and cotton,
took specie in return and then went
empty to England, where they furnished
themselves with British manufactures.
He refused to admit their tobacco and
cotton unless they took from France an
equivalent in French produce. They
yielded to his system as being just. He
added that now England had it all her
own way, that there was no power which
could successfully oppose her system, and
that she might now impose on France
any treaty she pleased.
"The Bourbons, poor devils there he
checked himself, are great lords, who are
contented with having back their estates
and castles, but if the French people be-
come dissatisfied with that [the treaty
and find that there is not the encourage
ment for their manufactures in the In
terror of the country that there should
be, they Tthe Bourbonsl will be driven
out in six months. Marseilles, Nantes,
Bordeaux and the coast are not troubled
by that, for they always have the same
commerce, but in the interior it is an
other thing. well know what the feel
ing is for me at Terrare, Lyons and those
places which have manufactures, and
which I have encouraged" - Thomas
| usher, r. N, in Century.