Mr. Monk's resolution against the conclusion of any com- mercial
treaty with France based on the reactionary general tariff of France, and not tending to the development of free commercial interchange between the two countries, was carried by Mr. Monk iu a very thin House on Thursday by 77 to 49, in spite of the rather perfunctory protest of Sir Charles Mike, who officially opposed the resolution for reasons of international etiquette, while expressing the perfect agreement of the Government with its principle. Probably, he was not very sorry to see the resolution carried over his head. Clearly, it would be better for us not to have our hands tied at all, than to have them tied down to heaping special benefits on France, if France be indisposed to reciprocate those benefits sufficiently to make our special engagements to her worth our while.
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