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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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S £ SSSjgstBB 33 ^ , > h * h ^*** i * i ^^ >'¦ : ¦' : ¦' . " .. . ¦ ¦ '¦¦ . . ¦'' . v --. ; .. ' . ^¦ ¦' :: •;¦ '• vT ^ r ^ t ^ a ^ H 1274 THE LEADED 1 [ fro-. 504 . Nov . 1 % 1853 .
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rankling animosity in the French mind , when we remember that the peace of 1815 was for them tlie annihilation of a great though feverish dream . The overthrow 0 f their military empire "was necessary to their welfare and that of Europe- —it stood in the way of progress and civilisation ; but men rarely know what is for their own good , ana their vanity and ^ elf-love were not the less wounded by their failure . Their defeat was our success , and we have not magnanimously and continually forgotten it , and helped them to forget it . Some amongst us have continually done all that wns in their nower to make the French poignantly
remember Waterloo , and pine for a return of the military glory , which , however ruinous at home , commanded almost universal admiration . It would have been out of the course of nature for the French — ever desirous of playing the first part in Europe — to see with thorough complacency , our continually expanding empire and increasing power . Of this We have never ceased to boast , while in the same period they have made only the acquisition of Algeria , and have been a prey to successive revolutions . Compared to England , France , since 1815 , las made a slow progress in
population , wealth , and power ; and though she has herself to blame for this , her comparative want of success is equally irritating . The envy , that " withers at another ' s joy * " and ' doth merit , like its shade , pursue , " is only the more hurtful because it is base and unjust ; and , so far as envy of our great success may have kept alive the prejudices and animosities of ages , we can believe in the , prevalence of such feelings amongst the French . To excite , the envy and apprehensions of others is one of the inevitable consequences of successful
greatness . This is the penalty we pay for our jvational ambition . From the conduct of our own press , "which seldom allows an opportunity of expressing exultation to escape it , -we may imagine that the press in France , both -when free arid restricted , has run with the stream of opinion , and exacerbated all the unpleasant and angry feelings arising from the contrast between the progress of the two empires . . We admit the existence of certain hostile political feelings in the French , for which we have endeavoured to account , but the probable cause of them should inculcate in us a moderation
and forbearance we have not always shown . The two people profess different forms of Christianity , and we are much too zealous for our own form to be surprised at the zeal of the French for the success or the predominance of Roman Catholicism . If there be amongst us greater toleration than amongst them , in neither country have the religious leaders of the people done anything to lessen the dislike they mutually entertain for the creeds of one another . The
difference between the two peoples on this subject is well - known , and it is to be regretted that heated partisans amongst both have kept alive unpleasant contentions between Protestants and Catholics . If we look to the union of the peoples by the bonds of . common interest , rather than to the alliance between the two Governments , to pre « serve the peace of the world , we shall deplore all religious contentions as oqually injurious to both .
One of the celebrated writers who has taken the part of England in the French press , lias justly said that tlie French have equality and the English political liberty ^ and he patriotically wished thjit his countrymen Had our advantage . Amongst us there are undoubtedly som ® who , instead of wishing for our people the equality of the French , dread any and every approach to it . They ai'e sensible that democracy has , in latter times , obtained soma considerable political successes . Even in submitting to the necessity of doing scant justice to the humbly clussos of England , they have been galled
by their increasing power . If there bo a p lot , it is what our neighbours call sourd , the unavowed result of an innate feaf of the democracy which induces Conservatives of every hue now to dony it a farther extension of liberty . Their ovor-renuwod arrogance , strengthened apparently by a nowlvarmed host , from which the democracy ia virtually oxoludod , is displayed towards the multitude hero aB well as against the French , and thqy continually attaok both equality and liberty . A numerous elates amongst us continually strengthens the prejudices of ttoe democratic French against those wnom they cull the aristocratic English . a hero ifi yet another point on which wo axe not
free from blame ; and it is useful to knowouf faults , for no nation ever suffers in consequence , exclusively , of the conduct of another . It ever prospers or decays from its own acts—its virtues or its vices- —and , as we suffer very much from taxation to pay for defence , on account of the presumed animosity of the French , we ought to know all the parts of our own conduct which may have contributed to their exasperation . For some time we have professed free-trade principles , and have legislated in that direction . NTow , it may not have been intended to affront or injure the French , but it is a fact , that their chief products for exports— -wine and brandy—are amongst the few articles which have not been included in the
general reduction of our Customs Duties . With the exception of timber , which is partly the produce of our own colonies , and the duties on which have been reduced , there is no important article imported which has not benefited by our free-trade doctrines ; except the wines and brandies of France . They are still subject to exorbitant , and wine to discriminating , duties—contrary to the principles of free trade . "We have , therefore , made an exception to our own vaunted doctrines , which to " the French may appear intended to injure them . At least we have not done what we ought , in the direction of free trade , to conciliate the wine growers of France and unite their interest more closely with our own .
Now , the total net produce of the duties on wine and brandy in 1858 was . £ 2 , 615 , 000 , equal to about one-third of the annual expenditure on civil services , which are in nowise essential to the public safety . Many of them are of very doubtful utility . Even the Economist , which , in utter contradiction to its name and the doctrines which obtained it a share of tlie public confidence , has become an advocate of wasteful expenditure , admits that many of the expeuses under this head might be spared . Since 1844 the charges for civil services have increased from £ 6 , 190 , 944 to - £ 9 , 085 , 636 in 1858 . Surely it would have been a wiser policy
in that period to have largely reduced , if not abolished , the duties on wines and brandies , which mi g ht have cemented the union of the French with us , and made them believe us sincere in our free-trade professions , though we should have been unable to gratify the numerous schemers whose philanthropic projects have swollen , to an enormous extent , this species of expenditure . The vast folly , however , which has continued the estrangement of our neighbours , and multiplied here a brood of meddlers , cannot be undone . It is not given to man to alter the consequences of his actions , or avoid suffering from the "wrong which he
does . We have effectually—if the Times be even approximatively correct—helped to excite a fearful condition of mind in 36 , 000 , 000 of our fellow creatures , and we cannot too soon bethink ourselves of the means by which tins mental condition may be meliorated . For the want of discretion in public writer , and religious zealots , there is no possible cure but a knowledge of the mighty evils , which they have undoubtedly helped to produce . For the past consequences oi the sad deviation from pi'inciplc , of which a boasting frcetrado Government lias for spverai years been
guilty , there is no remedy , but wo may insist that this wrong shall not bo continued . Humanity and political economy now demand the abrogation of the duties on French wines and spirits . We are aware of flic frightful images of loss of revenue and * increased drunkenness which ima ) "iinatio i n » w ill conjure up to oppose such a proposition . But if we admit them all , wo add that they arc as dust in the balance , compared to the real and enormous evils of tho continued hostile foelings of tho two people , which tho abrogation of tho duties' would contribute much to allay .
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THE ITALIAN REGENCY AND FRANCE . Thdiu : is a good doal of dissatisfaction in England with tho French Government for having opposed the acceptance of tho Regency of Central Ital y b y Prince Carignan , or M . Uuoncompagni , but there cannot' bo any excuse for tho tono of alarm and hostility to Franco which many writers and speakers manifest . At Zurich Louis Napoloon demanded more from Austria than sho waa lod to expect from tho Villa Franca preliminaries , and this ia folt so strongly at Vienna that disoontont ia loudly expressed , and thoro are not wanting advisors who would impel
"Francis Joseph to try another passage of arms rather than consent to the Italianisation of Mantua and Peschiera and other elements of the French Imperial programme . It is perfectl y clear , therefore that Louis Napoleon has not sacrificed the Italians in order to procure the friendshi p of the House of Hapsburg , and that he is not taking a course calculated to obtain that result . In the next place , he adheres to the scheme of a Confess —which Austria detests—although he is distinctly informed that . England will advocate the full ri ght of the Italians to choose their own Government and settle their , own affairs . It will also be
observed that in advising Sardinia to have nothing to do with the Regency he is merely acting up to the letter of the Zurich arrangements , and that he abstains from any threat or hostile demonstration when his advice » is rejected . We may bo assured that if Austria saw any chance of inducing France to compel the Italians not to overstep the conditions provided by the late peace she would not manifest the irritation and discontent that characterise her proceedings , nor would she complain that the cession of Lombardy has failed to purchase the advantages upon wliich her sovcrei ° ii reckoned .
Yv hy the jLmperor of r ranee moves in a curvilinear way instead of in a straight line , will be an interesting question for some future historian of these times . It may be partly from character , and partly from difficulties , which Englishmen living under such different circumstances can scarcely understand ; . but a little investigation will shew that he is further from an intimate alliance ¦ with Austria than when he had a private confabulation with her wrong-headed and incurable master , and it may be doubted whether any peace would have been made if he had been able and -williner to
explain to Francis Joseph the demands he would make , and the attitude he would assume in November , 1859 . We are far from praising the bewilderment that French ¦ ' policy occasions , and beliq . ve more straightforwardness would be beneficial to all parties ; but we wish to guard against needless suspicions and unfriendly assumptions , which tlie state of affairs do not oblige us to entertain . The King of Sardinia has virtually accepted the proffered sovereignty of Central Italy , by nominating , throxigb . liis cousin , a regent to act in his name , and by assurances that if the people trust him lie will not desert their cause . If this step elicits from France no more than the conventional expressions of regret , to which we
are how well accustomed , we sluill be entitled to believe that the disapproval is only skin-deep , and kept up from motives of policy , about which we need not care . If Austria enters a Congress , she will—so far n , s present appearances go—do so without a single friend among the great Powers , for she has just placed herself in . strong antagonism to Prussia upon the question of tho Ile .-si' Constitution , and Russia is not aiding her Herman views . There may be , mid probably are , matters on wliich Russia and Prussia arc opposed to France ; but there is no reason to imagine they will uUcinpt to treat the Italians as Austria desires , ;; ii < 1 it is most likely they will energetically oppose her adopting any course likely to bring about a renewal of war .
II wo do not quite like the conduct of I ranee , we may calm our complaints by looking to the behaviour of sorno of our own people , who deserve our indignation far more than our hitherto faithful ally . Tho Irish Papist * continue t' > treat tho subjects of the Tope as iftlivy were In *> chattels , anil protest as vehemently m Franci * . / oaopu against * their right to liberty ami tfolf-rulo , while Lord Brouglmin-r-wlio has certainly liv « j « l long enough to * have grown more generous ' HonliinentH replies to Lord Ellenborough ' a letter by deprcoating any disturbance of tho peace of Europe lor tho suko of * tuly . If 2 G , Q 00 , 000 of people are to bo enslaved for the preservation <>' ' I-uropean peacu , why not tho entire population Y . llutwluil sort of a pence ia it whoso presservalion denumus
those monstrous sacrifices of human n-jht r -uw »»< was a . time when Lord Broughnin—we be ^ pardon , Harry Brougham—was moro in favour of juuuco than of peace , but the weight ' of yours and ol a coronet liavo repressed his liberal ardours , ami , like tho la < ly before tho blazing fire in the Hiiutfiy oarpotted room , ho deprecates a dinturbnnco oi nis tranquillity by those who are hungry and starving outside . Tho Italians lmvo , since they niot witii an honest-looking king , deserved well of Europe
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 19, 1859, page 1274, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2321/page/14/
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