800 LIFE OF UGRDEN.

1880. with France were obviously the most important. Affairs
ir. 56. in Syria had interrupted them, but Peel resumed the nego:
tiations. He was most anxious for a Tariff Treaty. “I
should not,” he said, as Pitt had said before him, and
a8 Cobden and Mr. Gladstone said after him, * estimate
the advantage of an extended commercial intercourse
with France merely in respect to the amount of pect
niary gain; but I value that intercourse on account Of
the effect it is calculated to produce in promoting the
feelings of amity and goodwill between two great nations:
I should regard that mutual intercourse in commercial
affairs as giving an additional security for the permanent
maintenance of peace.”’ Unfortunately, the negotiations
fell through, ~Guizot said that he could not pass any such
measure through the Chambers. Nor was there better
success in other quarters.
In 1843, Mr.J. L. Ricardo had introduced a resolution in the
House of Commons, declaring the inexpediency of postponing
remissions of duty with a view of making such remissions
a basis of commercial negotiations. This was a reply from
the pure economic party to Peel’s statement already quoted
(see above, p. 240), that he did not reduce the wine duties
because he hoped to make them the instruments of treatic®
with foreign countries. Ricardo prefaced his resolution by
a speech, which was very able, but which pressed for Free
Trade without delay, restriction, or qualification. The only
process to which they need resort against hostile tariffs was
bo open the ports. Mr. Gladstone answered Ricardo by the
same arguments that were afterwards used to defend his ow?
policy in 1860. Mr. Disraeli, not at all disclaiming Free
Trade as a general policy, supported Mr. Gladstone against
the ultra-Free-Traders in a speech remarkable to this day
for its large and comprehensive survey of the whole field of