DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1311#0030
20 THE GREAT EXHIBITION
You. may, therefore, consider it as a certainty that the cause of freedom of commerce
is permanently won in England, and that all the attempts of the protectionist system,
will not prevail against it. There remain doubtless some abuses to be destroyed in the
customs' department; and it is a notorious fact that the vexatious habits of this regime
have survived the liberal modifications of the new English commercial policy; but the
house of commons has appointed a committee of inquiry to put an end to them, and I
Lave been given to understand, by the chairman of this committee himself, that this
inquiry will be conducted in the most liberal spirit. The scandalous reign of espionage,
of searching the person, of breaking open packages, of impertinent cariosity, is well nigh,
drawing to a close. These acts of plunder, known under the name of pre-emption, of
seizures, of rewards to informers, will ere long cease to dishonour the legislation of
nations, to go and join all other seignorial rights. It is time that a vessel running on
our coast—that a father returning to his family—that a merchant who brings wealth
to his country—shall cease to be received by armed tax-gatherers, who are permitted to
pry into the most secret parts of our baggage. Only think, sir, that we suffer these
outrages for such a length of time—not in the interest of the state, which has a right to
all our sacrifices, but simply for the purpose of ensuring to some bigoted manufacturers
the faculty of selling us their goods without competition.
There is only one opinion in Liverpool against these remains of commercial barbarism,
and nevertheless the custom-house regulations are less vexatious there than in our ports.
The ardent life of commerce will no longer tolerate these trammels of the past. There
arrive at Liverpool about a hundred vessels daily from all parts of the globe; there are
always five or six hundred loading. The railways send forth with the rapidity of light-
ning in every direction trains loaded with passengers, and I close this letter at a distance
of ninety leagues from London, where I should be in five hours did I not intend to stop
a day at Manchester. "What can be opposed to such torrents ? The present customs
system will disappear; not because it is absurd, but because it is impossible. My
honourable colleague of the Institute, M. Leon Faucher, Minister of the Interior, has
first delivered us from the tyranny of passports. Should he become minister of
finance, he will have a fine opportunity to put an end to the custom-house abuses. It
would suffice to make his name go down gloriously to posterity.
CHAPTER IV.
FURS AND FEATHERS.
bemaeeis oh" dbess---antiquity op pub-clothing---nicholay and son—0eigin 01" the pue-
tbade—Hudson's bat company—its vast tereitoby—the noeth-west teadee—the
indian" huntee—geeat vaeiety op pub-clad animals---numbeb op exhibitobs op pttes
---nobth amebica—the aecti0 eeoions—et/eopean pubs—tbopical specimens---pea-
■ thebs—messes. adcock and co.—ostbich peathees—the mababout stoek!—the grebe
---eider-down—swan* s-d0wn-—goose-down—the duck-billed platypus—cape dieds---
' hebon plumes—bird op paeadise eeathees.
Personal attire, or dress, has always been held in high estimation in all countries,
and among all classes of people. From the rude savage to the polished denizen of
the modern drawing-room^ all own its influence, and all pay obedience to its laws.
You. may, therefore, consider it as a certainty that the cause of freedom of commerce
is permanently won in England, and that all the attempts of the protectionist system,
will not prevail against it. There remain doubtless some abuses to be destroyed in the
customs' department; and it is a notorious fact that the vexatious habits of this regime
have survived the liberal modifications of the new English commercial policy; but the
house of commons has appointed a committee of inquiry to put an end to them, and I
Lave been given to understand, by the chairman of this committee himself, that this
inquiry will be conducted in the most liberal spirit. The scandalous reign of espionage,
of searching the person, of breaking open packages, of impertinent cariosity, is well nigh,
drawing to a close. These acts of plunder, known under the name of pre-emption, of
seizures, of rewards to informers, will ere long cease to dishonour the legislation of
nations, to go and join all other seignorial rights. It is time that a vessel running on
our coast—that a father returning to his family—that a merchant who brings wealth
to his country—shall cease to be received by armed tax-gatherers, who are permitted to
pry into the most secret parts of our baggage. Only think, sir, that we suffer these
outrages for such a length of time—not in the interest of the state, which has a right to
all our sacrifices, but simply for the purpose of ensuring to some bigoted manufacturers
the faculty of selling us their goods without competition.
There is only one opinion in Liverpool against these remains of commercial barbarism,
and nevertheless the custom-house regulations are less vexatious there than in our ports.
The ardent life of commerce will no longer tolerate these trammels of the past. There
arrive at Liverpool about a hundred vessels daily from all parts of the globe; there are
always five or six hundred loading. The railways send forth with the rapidity of light-
ning in every direction trains loaded with passengers, and I close this letter at a distance
of ninety leagues from London, where I should be in five hours did I not intend to stop
a day at Manchester. "What can be opposed to such torrents ? The present customs
system will disappear; not because it is absurd, but because it is impossible. My
honourable colleague of the Institute, M. Leon Faucher, Minister of the Interior, has
first delivered us from the tyranny of passports. Should he become minister of
finance, he will have a fine opportunity to put an end to the custom-house abuses. It
would suffice to make his name go down gloriously to posterity.
CHAPTER IV.
FURS AND FEATHERS.
bemaeeis oh" dbess---antiquity op pub-clothing---nicholay and son—0eigin 01" the pue-
tbade—Hudson's bat company—its vast tereitoby—the noeth-west teadee—the
indian" huntee—geeat vaeiety op pub-clad animals---numbeb op exhibitobs op pttes
---nobth amebica—the aecti0 eeoions—et/eopean pubs—tbopical specimens---pea-
■ thebs—messes. adcock and co.—ostbich peathees—the mababout stoek!—the grebe
---eider-down—swan* s-d0wn-—goose-down—the duck-billed platypus—cape dieds---
' hebon plumes—bird op paeadise eeathees.
Personal attire, or dress, has always been held in high estimation in all countries,
and among all classes of people. From the rude savage to the polished denizen of
the modern drawing-room^ all own its influence, and all pay obedience to its laws.