The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

COMMON SENSE.

FROM THE NORFOLK PUBLIC LEDGER.

The Editor of this paper has received a letter from a friend in Bordeaux, dated the 17th of August, from which he offers his readers an extract, and he ventures to assure them, that the writer is a person of intelligence, and respectability.

"I have had it in contemplation for some days past, to address you on the subject of the pending negociations, between England and this country. They lately assumed a character, strongly indicative of an approaching peace; but the rumours have been so various and contradictory, and the sources of our information so obscure and suspicious, that I deemed it useless to offer intelligence, of which I could not guarantee the authenticity. At the beginning of this month, the opinions of all classes of people were so universally in favor of peace, that preparations were absolutely made to receive and welcome the courier who was hourly expected to appear, and announce its conclusion. This impression was strengthened by the arrival of lord Lauderdale at Calais, on the 3d inst. and at Paris on the 5th, and the erroneous reports of the frigate who brought him over having exchanged a salute of 21 guns with the battery of the former place, and of his lordship having been presented to the emperor on the 6th at the court of the Tuilleries. * The first of these reports originated from the circumstance of the frigate having fired 15 guns when lord Lauderdale and his secretaries, Messrs. Stewart and Jackson, came alongside. I do not know to what cause the report of his presentation at court is to be attributed. A very intelligent and well informed correspondent wrote me on the 10th inst. from Paris, stating that lord lauderdale had been closeted three hours on the preceding evening with Mr. Champagny, minister of the Interior, and general Clarke, who enjoys the highest credit at the court of St. Cloud. The result of this meeting was very different from what was at first conjectured. The object of the interview was to remove the obstacles which still divided the two cabinets, but so far from its accomplishment, the breach is said to have been widened, and the official communication we have this day received from Paris, under date of the 13th instant, confirms this opinion. I transmit you herewith a copy of the note published by government, and extracted from the Moniteur of the 15th. It alludes to several important political events, but particularly to the ratification of the peace with Russia, the acknowledgment of the king of Holland and Naples, and duke of Cleves and Berg, by the emperor of Austria and King of Prussia, and to the causes of the interruption of the negotiations between France and Great Britain. If I was to make a conjecture on the latter circumstance, I should attribute it to this government's insisting on some relaxation of the maritime jurisprudence of England. It is very possible that one or the other governments may publish the correspondence in which their respective interests and pretensions have been discussed, to render the public the arbiter of the justice and moderation of their conduct.

Sales in colonial produce have been almost entirely suspended for the last three weeks, in consequence of the apprehension of peace. Three days ago, however, a large speculation was made in coffee for a house in Paris, who doubtless had early information of the interruption of the negociations. Martinique coffee which was selling before the appearance of peace at 63 and 64 sous, was bought at 56 and 57. 800 bales of Bourbon was sold at 55 sous, which a month ago was worth 61 1-2 sous. Business will not resume its activity before lord Lauderdale leaves Paris. He is said to have demanded his passports which were not immediately granted—and it is asserted that he dispatched a courier to London on the 12th inst."

* According to established etiquette, Lord Lauderdale could not be presented to the Emperor until after a treaty was signed; so says Journal de l'Empire of the 13th of August.

Published in our supplement of yesterday.