Xll PREFACE. 



not have been produced by one who had never quitted the 

 barriers of Paris. The errors and misstatements of M. de 

 Mofras are indeed innumerable, particularly in all that re- 

 lates to the United States, towards which he appears to 

 entertain feelings of aversion even stronger than towards 

 Great Britain. To their discredit, history and statistics are 

 made equally subservient ; and from the facts as thus pre- 

 sented, always with extreme minuteness and precision of 

 detail, conclusions are drawn, which have at least the merit 

 of novelty. Thus while pathetically lamenting the entire 

 disorganization of all the American Republics, he finds con- 

 solation in the fact, that they all exhibit a general return to 

 monarchical predilections, even the United States, " where 

 the tendencies of the loyalist party (?) are well known." He 

 resigns the hope that France will recover her former domin- 

 ions on this continent, but he is assured that " the Cana- 

 dians are at this day as French as in the times of the 

 Duquesnes and Beauharnais ; " and he confidently pro- 

 nounces, that whensoever they may throw off the detested 

 yoke of Britain, a Franco-Canadian empire will be formed, 

 extending from the Saint Lawrence to the Pacific, and in- 

 cluding all the British possessions and Oregon, which will 

 be bound to France by every tie, and will afford the most 

 important aid for the expansion of her establishments in the 

 Pacific. This songe diplomatique seems to have affected 

 the imagination of M. de Mofras most strongly, and traces 

 of its influence are to be found in every part of his work ; 

 of his care in citing authorities, and his ingenuity in draw- 

 ing deductions suitable to these views, remarkable instances 

 will be found in the note on page 159 of this volume. 



With these preliminary remarks and explanations, the 

 author presents his book to the public, trusting that it may 

 prove useful, in placing the difficult questions on which it 

 treats, in a clearer light, and may thus contribute to their 

 just and peaceful determination. 



Washington, March, 1845. 



