ix] WITH MB. GLADSTONE AT HAWARDEN. 703

fa Treaty possible, moreover, was that in the following 1859:
fear terminable annuities to the amount of upwards of two Zr. 56.
Uilliong would fall in, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer
voulq have that amount of taxation to deal with. If the
Yinister could be induced to entertain the idea of a Treaty,
© woulq by means of such a surplus be able to make that
®duction in the duties on French articles which the French
"ould regard, and insist upon, as a price for a transformalon
 of their own prohibitive system. In the early part of
“ptember, Cobden paid a visit to Hawarden, and there
N Opened his mind to Mr. Gladstone. They were both of
hem thoroughly alive to the objections to which on strictly
COnomic grounds reaties of commerce must always be open.
They both felt it to be perfectly true, if economic rules were
"8ver under any circumstances to be contravened, that, as
Lr, Bright had already said, it was our business to look to
W own tariffs, and to release French products from the
lutieg that prevented our trading with France; and this
Mithout any stipulation as to what France should do in
Sturn, But then they felt that the occasion was one which
‘ld not be judged in this simple way. An economic
Mnciple by itself, as all sensible men have now learnt, can
"ever be decisive of anything in the mixed and complex
Phere of practice. Neither Cobden mor Mr. Gladstone
"ould regist the force of M. Chevalier’s emphatic assurance,
‘hat in no other way could the French tariff be altered in
‘he direction of Free Trade than through a diplomatic act,
hat is to say, a commercial treaty with England. The
Braperor, moreover, in spite of his absolutist system, was
Practically powerless to reduce his duties, unless the English
Sovernment gave him the help of a corresponding move-“ent
 on their side.
Mr. Gladstone discerned both the opportunity which such
* Movement would afford for continming the great work of