vileges so long enjoyed
exclusively by French subjects and shipping, but now broken or breaking
down under the hammering blows of Espartero--nor discover any prospect
of relief until the Spanish customhouse lines are transferred to their
old quarters on the other side of the Ebro, and the _fueros_ of the
Biscaiano provinces, which, by ancient treaty, he claims to be under the
guarantee of France, re-established in all their pristine plenitude.

It is surely time for the intelligence, if not the good sense, of France
to do justice by these day-dreams. The tutelage of Spain has escaped
from the Bourbons of Paris, and the ward of full majority will not be
allowed, cannot be, if willing, to return or remain under the trammels
of an interested guardian, with family pretensions to the property in
default of heirs direct. France, above all countries, has the least
right to remonstrate against the reign of prohibitions and restrictions,
being herself the classic land of both. Let her commence rather the work
of reform at home, and render tardy justice to Spain, which she has
drained so long, and redress to Great Britain, against whose more
friendly commercial code she is constantly warring by differential
preferences of duties in favour of the same commodities produced in
other countries, which consume less of what she abounds in, and have
less the means of consumption. Beyond all, let her cordially join this
country in urging upon the Spanish Government, known to be nowise averse
to the urgency of a wise revision and an enlightened modification of the
obsolete principles of an absurd and impracticable policy both fiscal
and commercial--a policy which beggars the treasury, whilst utterly
failing to protect native industry, and demoralizes at the same time
that it impoverishes the people. We are not of the number of those who
would abandon the assertion of a principle _quoad_ another country, the
wisdom and expediency of which we have advocated, and are still prepared
to advocate, in its regulated application to our own, from the sordid
motive of benefiting British manufactures to the ruin of those of Spain.
Rather, we say to the government of Spain, let a fair protection be the
rule, restrictions the exceptions, prohibition the obsolete outcast, of
your fiscal and commercial policy. We import into this country, the
chief and most valuable products of Spain, those which compose the
elements and a very considerable proportion of h