avez pris la peine d'écrire le 18 Juin, à S. E. le Ministre de l'Intérieur et à moi. Les actes dont il est ici question, donnent une bien grande idée de cè vaste établissement, quand on y voit les augmentations successives de son fonds portées à quinze fois la valeur du premier capital. Mais il se presente des réflexions assez naturelles, lorsqu'on examine si quelque chose de pareil pourrait être transporté en France aujourd'hui. Le principle le plus certain à l'egard de tout papier de crédit à établir ou à admettre, c'est que le montant en soit proportionné aux besoins de la circulation qui peut être prévue. En ce moment la France, où le commerce et les grandes enterprises de divers genres ne se développent que lentement et avec peine, n'éprouve pas un besoin pressant d'augmenter mediately suggest themselves, when we come to reflect, whether any similar establishment could be introduced into France at the present time. The principle most easily established, or admitted, with regard to all paper credit, is, that it should be proportioned to the wants of the regular circulation, the extent of which may be calculated. At this moment, as commerce and extensive speculations of different kinds develop themselves slowly and with dif ficulty in France, there is a pressing necessity to avoid augmenting any currency of nominal value. It is to be feared, that to multiply it to any extent, would be to render it superabundant, and to compromise that currency in public opinion, a circumstance which might be attended with rather hazardous consequences. Thus, in spite of the advantages of creating a paper medium, which could be lent to landed proprietors, and used in advancing the interests of agriculture, this medium could not fail to find its way very soon into commercial circulation, until, being absorbed by the increase of the products, and the general impetus thus given to trade, a present evil would arise, whether real or imaginary, which would neutralize all the good proposed by the measure. The moment, therefore, does not seem to have arrived, to engage in a plan so vast; and it appears, on the contrary, that all this Government can do at present, is to patronise those persons who would undertake, upon solid grounds, to offer their united aid to agriculture. Notwithstanding, Sir, it is not less agreeable to the minister to have received proofs of your zeal for the general good, and the common prosperity of all. I feel pleasure in expressing to you his gratitude and my own. Accept, Sir, the assurance of my perfect regard. Under Secretary of State of the Interior, le signe courant dès valeurs. Il serait à craindre, en le multipliant à un certain point, de le rendre surabondant, et d'en compromettre le cours dans l'opinion, circonstance qui pourrait avoir des conséquences assez délicates. Ainsi, malgré l'avantage de créér une valeur qui peut être prêtée aux propriétaires, et versé dans les améliorations dont la culture des terres est susceptible, cette valeur ne pouvant manquer d'être reportée aussitôt dans la circulation commerciale, jusqu'à ce que l'accroissement des produits et du mouvement général ont pu l'absorber, un mal présent, soit réel, soit d'opinion, pourrait devancer le bien qu'on se proposerait. Le moment ne semble donc pas venu de s'occuper d'un plan si vaste; et il parait que tout ce que le Gouvernement peut faire aujourd'hui, c'est de favoriser les particuliers qui entreprendraient, sur des bases solides, de s'unir pour offrir des secours à l'agriculture. Quoiqu'il en soit, Monsieur, il n'en est pas moins agréable au Ministère d'avoir reçu des preuves de votre zéle pour le bien général et pour la prospérité commune. J'éprouve de plaisir à vous exprimer la gratitude du Ministre et la mienne. Agreéz, Monsieur, l'assurance de ma parfaite considération. Le Sous Secrétaire d'Etat au Dept. de l'Intérieur, BECQUEY. M. Becquey was considered to be one of the ablest men in France, and, from his varied talents, general knowledge, and experience in business, a most valuable assistant to persons in office; but however useful such men are in subordinate situations, they are not in general possessed of minds sufficiently expanded, for a thorough consideration of those new and untried measures, which the necessities of the state often require. In this case, there would have been no difficulty in limiting a paper circulation, so as to prevent its being depreciated from over-abundance. 6. THE COUNT CHAPTAL. Among the celebrated philosophers of whom France has so much reason to be proud, M. Chaptal is one of the most distinguished. His knowledge of chemistry has rarely been equalled, and his publications on that subject are among the most valuable yet extant. But the treatise he published in 1819, "Sur l'Industrie Française," was the work which obtained the greatest success, greatly owing to his having been appointed Minister of the Interior by Napoleon. He was thus enabled to collect that statistical information, regarding several branches of industry in France, of which he made such valuable use. Both his own attention, and that of the Emperor Napoleon, were first directed to those inquiries, by a letter I had written to him on the 24th of May 1802, to which I received the following answer: SECRETARIAT.-BUREAU DE LA STATISTIQUE. Response à la Lettre du 24. Mai, (4. Prairial).—Enregistrée à l'arrivée, No. 166.-Enregistrement du Départ, No. 91. Paris, le 20. Prairial, an 10. de la Republique Française, une et indivisible. Le Ministre de l'Interieur à Monsieur John Sinclair, Chevalier Baronet, et Membre du Parlement de la Grand Bretagne *. J'ai reçu, Monsieur, la lettre que vous m'avez fait l'honneur de m'écrire le 24. Mai. Je vous remercie bien sincère • Translation. I have received, Sir, the letter which you have done me the honour to write to me on the 24th May. I thank you very sincerely for the communication which you are so kind as to make, of your observations on statistical researches. I should be very glad to have some copies of them, which I would transmit to the prefects, and your example and your views, Sir, could not fail powerfully to encourage those amongst us, who cultivate a science still new, and the materials for which it is difficult to collect in a country so long and so deeply convulsed. ment de la communication que vous voulez bien me donner de vos observations sur les recherches statistiques. Je serois bien aise d'en avoir quelques exemplaires, que je ferois passer aux préfets; et votre exemple, et vos vues, Monsieur, ne pourroient qu'encourager efficacement ceux, qui, parmi nous, cultivent une science encore neuve, et dont les materiaux sont difficiles à rassembler, dans un pays si longtems et si profondément troublé. J'ai remis au Premier Consul l'exemplaire que vous lui destinez; il me charge de vous en faire ses remercimens, Monsieur. Je vous en dois encore pour les deux ouvrages que vous avez joints à vos observations: ce que vous faites, Monsieur, est toujours d'un homme de bien et d'un vrai philantrope. Vous aimez, et vous servez votre patrie, sans haïr, ou même sans oublier, le reste du monde; et vos vues sont toujours dirigées vers le bien du plus grand nombre. Je desire ardemment, que nos relations se multiplient et s'étendent. Il me semble que les deux pays doivent gagner à la communication de lumieres. Je vous prie, Monsieur, de recevoir l'expression de ma profonde estime. I was highly gratified by having thus been the means of introducing statistical inquiries into France, and I had flattered myself, that under the authority of Napoleon, and by the I have delivered to the First Consul (Bonaparte), the copy intended for him, and he desires me, Sir, to return to you his acknowledgments. I owe these to you also for the two works with which you have accompanied your observations. What you do, Sir, is always worthy of a good man, and a true philanthropist. You love and serve your own country, without hating, or rather without forgetting, the rest of the world; and your views are always directed to the welfare of the greater number. It I cordially desire that our relations may be multiplied and extended. seems to me, that the two countries can only gain by the mutual communication of knowledge. I request you, Sir, to receive the expression of my profound esteem, exertions of so able a character as Count Chaptal, no doubt could be entertained of the undertaking being successful. But the renewal of the war necessarily directed the attention of the French Government to pursuits of a very different nature. The inquiries, however, then instituted, furnished Monsieur Chaptal with such information regarding the various branches of French industry as enabled him to complete the valuable work he has published upon that subject. In order to avail myself of this new field of statistical information, I had resolved to pay a visit to France, and communicated my intention to M. Chaptal, in the following let ter: SIR, It is recorded, as one of the wisest sayings of one of the most distinguished characters of antiquity, "That those countries are likely to be the most happy, where either philosophers were kings, or kings were philosophers;" or, in other words, where persons entrusted with the powers of government are brought forward, not by petty intrigues, or for trivial accomplishments, but are elevated to high situations, from the real and solid merit they possess. Any individual who is acquainted with the character and writings of the present Minister of the Interior of France, must know how to apply these observations. It is usual, however, for statesmen, when distinguished for their personal merit, to rely too much on their own information and talents, to despise the suggestions of others, and never to countenance any measure, unless it has occurred to themselves. I am happy to find at least one exception to this general rule; for you, with a liberality of spirit hitherto unexampled, have taken under your protection, inquiries carried on, not only by an entire stranger, but by the inhabitant of another country, regarding particulars which have generally been considered more interesting to a philanthropist, than to a minister of state, and which were more likely to |