270 



DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE 



dismemberment of the American Union should 

 be considered by the French Government until 

 after the arrival and reception of the new Min- 

 ister ^accredited by the United States, M. Thou- 

 venel said : 



That no application had yet been made to him by 

 the Confederated States, in any form, for the recogni- 

 tion of their independence ; that the French Govern- 

 ment was not in the habit of acting hastily upon such 

 questions, as might be seen by its tardiness in recog- 

 nizing the new kingdom of Italy; that he believed the 

 maintenance of the Federal Union, in its integrity, was 

 to be desired for the benefit of the people North and 

 South, as well as for the interests of France, and the 

 Government of the United States might rest well as- 

 sured that no hasty or precipitate action would be 

 taken on that subject by the Emperor. But whilst he 

 gave utterance of these views, he was equally bound 

 to say that the practice and usage of the present cen- 

 tury had fully established the right of de facto Govern- 

 ments to recognition when a proper case was made out 

 for the decision of foreign powers. Here the official 

 interview ended. 



The conversation was then further protracted by an 

 inquiry from M. Thouvenel when the new tariff would 

 go into operation, and whether it was to be regarded 

 as the settled policy of the Government. I told him 

 that the first day of the present month had been pre- 

 scribed as the period when the new duties would take 

 effect ; that I had not yet examined its provisions with 

 such care as would justify me in pronouncing an opin- 

 ion upon its merits; that it was condemned by the 

 commercial classes of the country, and that I had no 

 doubt, from the discontent manifested in several quar- 

 ters, that the subject would engage the attention of 

 Congress at its next meeting, and probably some im- 

 portant modifications would be made in it. The finan- 

 ces of the Government were at this time temporarily 

 embarrassed, and I had no doubt the provisions of the 

 new tariff were adopted with a view, although prob- 

 ably a mistaken one, of sustaining the credit of the 

 treasury as much as of reviving the protective policy. 

 He then asked me my opinion as to the course of pol- 

 icy that would be adopted towards the seceding States, 

 and whether I thought force would be employed to co- 

 erce them into submission to the Federal authority. I 

 told him that I could only give him my individual 

 opinion, and that I thought force would not be em- 

 ployed ; that ours was a Government of public opinion, 

 and although the Union unquestionably possessed all 

 the ordinary powers necessary for its preservation, as 

 had been sho\yn in several partial insurrections which 

 had occurred in our history, yet that the extreme pow- 

 ers of Government could only be used in accordance 

 with public opinion, and that I was satisfied that the 

 sentiment of the people was opposed to the employ- 

 ment of force against the seceding States. So sincere 

 was the deference felt in that country for the great 

 principles of self-government, and so great the respect 

 for the action of the people, when adopted under the 

 imposing forms of State organization and State sover- 

 eignty, that I did not think the employment of force 

 would be tolerated for a moment, and I thought the 

 only solution of our difficulties would be found in such 

 modifications of our constitutional compact as would 

 invite the seceding States back into the Union or a 

 peaceable acquiescence in the assertion of their claims 

 to a separate sovereignty. 



On the 4th of May Mr. Seward writes to Mr. 

 Dayton that the question had been asked of Mr. 

 Faulkner by M. Thouvenel, whether there was 

 not some diversity of opinion in the cabinet of 

 the President as to the proper mode of meeting 

 the difficulties which disturbed the relations of 

 the States and the General Government. He 

 instructs Mr. Dayton to recall that conversation 

 and to assure M. Thouvenel explicitly that there 



was no difference of opinion whatever between 

 the President and his constitutional advisers, 

 or among those advisers themselves, concerning 

 the policy that had been pursued, and which 

 was prosecuted by the Administration in regard 

 to the unhappy disturbances existing in the 

 country. The path of executive duty lias thus 

 far been too plainly marked out by stern neces- 

 sities to be mistaken, while the solemnity of 

 the great emergency and the responsibilities it 

 devolves have extinguished in the public coun- 

 cils every emotion but those of loyalty and pa- 

 triotism. It is not in the hands of this Admin- 

 istration that this Government is to come to an 

 end at all much less for want of harmony and 

 devotion to the country. He further adds : 



You cannot be too decided or too explicit in making 

 known to the French Government that there is not 

 now, nor has there been, nor will there be, any the 

 least idea existing in this Government of suffering a 

 dissolution of this Union to take place in any way 

 whatever. 



There will be here only one nation and one Govern- 

 ment, and there will be the same republic, and the 

 same constitutional Union that have already survived 

 a dozen national changes, and changes of government 

 in almost every other country. These will stand here- 

 after, as they are now, objects of human wonder and 

 human affection. 



You have seen, on the eve of your departure, the 

 elasticity of the national spirit, the vigor of the na- 

 tional Government, and the lavish devotion of the na- 

 tional treasures to this great cause. Tell M. Thou- 

 venel, then, with the highest consideration and good 

 feeling, that the thought of a dissolution of this Union, 

 peaceably or 'by force, has never entered into the 

 mind of "any candid statesman here, and it is high 

 time that it be dismissed by statesmen in Europe. 



Again, on the 22d of May Mr. Dayton reports 

 his arrival at Paris, and his first interview with 

 the French Minister on the 16th. He thus re- 

 lates the conversation : 



M. Thouvenel, in the course of the conversation, 

 took occasion to say that he deeply regretted the con- 

 dition of things in the United States, and that in this 

 expression of feeling he represented the views and 

 feelings of the Emperor; that so deeply concerned was 

 the Emperor that he had felt disposed to offer his good 

 offices, but had been deterred from the fear that his 

 offer might not be well received ; but should occasion 

 for this arise, he would always be ready and happy 

 to be of use. He made special inquiry as to the policy 

 of our Government in regard to neutral rights, partic- 

 ularly in reference to neutral property found in Sonth- 

 ern ships. He went into considerable detail to show 

 that historical precedents were in favor of treating 

 Southern vessels as those of a regular belligerent, and 

 applying the same doctrine to them as had always 

 been upheld by the United States. He dwelt particu- 

 larly upon the fact that Great Britain, during our rev- 

 olutionary war, had not considered our privateers as 

 pirates. I understood him to say that, as respects an 

 effective blockade, it would be fully recognized and 

 respected; but he seemed much impressed with the 

 importance of understanding clearly the intentions of 

 our Government in reference to these matters as re- 

 spects the foreign world. 



The recognition of the Southern Confederates as pos- 

 sessing belligerent rights he did not consider at all as 

 recognizing them as independent States. 



On the next day he was received by the Eni 

 peror, who said in substance : " That he felt 

 great interest in the condition of things in the 

 United States; that he was very anxious the 



