Hx] INTEEVIEW WiTH THE RMPRROB. 799 Leo
Free Trade, and I urged many arguments in favour of zr ss.
“Moving those obstacles which prevented the two counities
 from being brought into closer dependence on one
‘other, He expressed himself as friendly to this policy,
bug alluded to the great difficulties in his way ; said he had
“de an effort by admitting iron in bond for ship-building,
"hich he wag obliged to alter again, and spoke of the sliding
“alo on corn which had been re-imposed after it had exbired,
 1 spoke of the opportuneness of the present moment
For making a simultaneous change in the English and French
riffs, ag there was a prospect of a surplus of revenue next
Fear, owing to the expiry of our terminable annuities, and
‘hat Mr, Gladstone was very desirous to make this surplus
Wailable for reducing duties on French commodities. Louis
Yapoleon said he had a majority of his Chambers quite
Pposed to Free Trade, and that they would not pass a

Stang well with Fingland, and to keep the two countries in a state of
A and friendship ; but the Press had completely defeated his object.
Aer reminding him that I had blamed, both in Parliament and in publio
etings, the attacks made in England on the Government of France, I said
bag be ghonld bear in mind that his name, which had such a charm in the
Sottages of France, had still a sound which carried a traditional alarm into
uy hougeg, and that this feeling was worked upon by those who for their
jh! ends persuaded the people that he intended to repeat the career of his
els. With some excuses, I ventured to add that the way in which he had
tered on the war in Italy, without a provious emposé des motifs, bad given
reat force to their persuasion. He interrupted me by saying that he had
“Plaineq hig reasons. I told him that what I meant was that he had not
*Ppealeq to the world with a manifesto of his grievances and objects, and
ba if he had done #0, from what I knew of the opinion in England and
Lnericg, where the Austrian Government had hardly a friend, the feeling
vould have been sc universally in his favour that a war would not have
on Decessary. Buf the suddenness and secrecy with which this great war
- entered upon alarmed people lest the same thing should be repeated.
" tor some farther conversation about the state of feeling, which I admitted
= very bad, if not perilous, in England, and which he said was brought to
& oh g State in France that he seemed to be almost the only man friendly to
ot gland Jot, 1 expressed an opinion, very frankly, that the Governments of
ir th Oountries, professing as they did to be friendly, would be responsible,
Nd blamable, were nothing done #0 try to put an end to this state of
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