COBDEN ON THE FISCAL POLICY OF FOREIGN NATIONS.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—It is asserted that Free-trade would never have been advocated and adopted if it had not been believed that other countries would have followed our example. I do not deny that this was the hope and expectation of many ; nevertheless, the following extract from a letter from Cobden to Mr. Van der Maeren (October 5th, 1856) should not be forgotten : " We came to the conclusion that the less we attempted to persuade foreigners to adopt our trade principles, the better we avowed our total indifference whether other nations became Free-traders or not; but we should abolish Protection for our own sakes, and leave other countries to take whatever course they liked best." It would be futile to try to make Cobden the inspiration of the present controversy ; but this peroration to a speech in 1843 represents the objection which many people entertain to a tax on food : "I say there never has been violence, tumult, or confusion, except at periods when there has been an excessive want of employment, and a scarcity of the necessaries of life."—I am, Sir, &c.,
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