478

LIFE OF GOBDEN. {oma?

1848. maxim; and I venture to say that it is false a9 regards
Ar. 44. vations that possess constitutional means of making opinic®
prevail. England ought to bring her political syste”
into harmony with her new economic system.” 7
Cobden in reply seems to have treated this apprehensio®
of English naval force, and the hostile use to which it might
be put, as a device of the French Protectionists to dra"
attention from the true issue. No, answered Bastiat manfully’
“I know my country ; it sees that England is capable of
crushing all the navies in the world ; it knows that it is 14
by an oligarchy which has no scruples. That is what disturb?
its sight, and hinders it from understanding Free Trade. 1
say more, that even if it did understand Free Trade, if
would not care for it on account of its purely economi®
advantages. ‘What you have to show it above all else is tha
freedom of exchange will cause the disappearance of thos?
military perils which France apprehends. England ough?
seriously to disarm ; spontaneously to drop her underground
opposition to the unlucky Algerian conquest ; and spont®”
neously to put an end to the dangers that grow out of the
Right of Search.” When the revolution of 1848 came, Bastial
was more pressing than ever. France could not be the first
disarm ; and if she did disarm, she would be drawn into Wa"
England by her favoured position, was alone able to set th?
example. If she could only understand all this and act upon ify
“she would save the future of Europe.” Bastiat, howevels
was not long in awakening to the fact that not Protection bal
Socialism was now the foe that menaced France, He turned
round with admirable versatility, and brought to bear O°
the new monster the same keen and patient scrutiny, the
same skilful dexterity in reasoning and illustration, whic?
had done such good service against the more ‘venersbl®
heresy. The pamphlets which he wrote between 1848 and
T Bastiat to Cobden. Oct, 15, 1847. 3 (Bw. i. 187-170.