The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-21 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS TO THE
AMERICAN MINISTER IN FRANO&

Imperfect statements of Mr. Faulkner's inter-
view with M. Thouvenol, the French Minister for
Foreign Affairs, ooneeniing the application of the
commissioners of the Southern Confederation,
having found their way into the press, the Ameri-
can government has consented to the publication
of the cormipondenoe :

(No. 119.)
Legation of the United Mates,
Paris, April 15, 1861.

Sir,-1 called today upon M. Thouvonel, at the Ministry
of Foreign AlTairs. and was promptly admitted to an
interview. Agreeably to your request, I handed to
him a copy of the inaugural address of President Lin-
coln, and added that I was instructed by you
to say to him that it embraced the views of
the President of the United States, upon the diffi-
culties which now disturbed the harmony of the American
Union, and also an exposition of the general policy which
it was the purpose of the government to pursue, with a
view to tho preservation of domestic peace, and the main-
tenance of the Federal Union. Here M. Thouvenel linked
if there was not some diversity of opinion in the cabinet
of the President as to the proper mode of meeting the
difficulties which now disturbed the relations of the states
and general government. I replied upon that point I had
no information ; under our system the cabinet was an
advising body ; its opinions were entitled to weight, but
did not necessarily compel the action of the President.
The executive power was by the constitution vested ex-
clusi% ely in the President. I said that I was further in-
ntructed to assure him that the President of the United
States entertains a full confidence in the speedy restoration
of harmony and unity of the government by a firm, yet just
and liberal policy, co-operating with the deliberate and
loyal action of the American people. M. Thouvenel ex.
presse■l his pleasure at the assurance. I further said that
the President regretted the events; going on in the United
States might be productive of some reseible incon-
venience to the people and subjects of France, but
he was determined that those inconveniences shall
be made as light and transient as possible, and
so far as it may rest with him, that all strangers who
may suffer any injury from them shall be indemnified. I
said to him that the President thought it not impossible
to appeal would be made before long by the confederate
I Mates to foreign powers, and amongst others to the govern-
ment of France, for the recognition of their independence.
That no such appeal having yet been made, it was premature
and out of place to discuss any of the points involved in
that delicate and important inquiry ; but the government
of the United States desired the fact to be known that
whenever any such application shall be made, it will meet
with opposition from the minister who shall then repre-
sent that government at this court. I said to him that my
mission at this court would soon terminate, and I should
have no official connexion with the question which it was
anticipated might arise upon the demand of the confederate
states for recognition of their independence ; that my place
would soon be supplied by a distinguished citizen of the
state of New Jersey, a gentleman who possessed the con-
fidence of the President, who fully sympathised in his pub-
lic views, and who would doubtless come fully instructed
as to the wishes and views of the United States, and that
the only request which I would now make, and which
would close all I had to say im the interview, was that no
proposition recognising the permanent dismemberment of
the American Union shall be considered by the French
government until after the arrival and reception of the new
minister accredited by the United States to thin court.
M. Thouvenel, in reply, said that no application
had yet been made to him by the confederated
Mates in any form for the recognition of their inde-
pendence ; that the French government was not in the
habit of acting hastily upon such questions, as might be
seen by its tardiness in recognising the new kingdom of
Italy; that ho believed the maintenance of the Federal
Union in its integrity was to be desired for the benefit of
thej people of the north and south, as well as for the inter-
ests of France, and the government of the United States
might rest well assured that no hasty or precipitate action
would be taken on that subject by the Emperor. But
whilet he gave utterance to these views, he was equally
bound to nay that the practice and usage of the present cen-
tury had fully established the rights of de facto govern-
ments to recognition when • proper case was made out for
the decision of foreign powers. Hers 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 regarded
as the settled policy of the government? I told
him that the first day of the present month had been
prescribed as the period when the new duties would
take effect ; that I had not yet examined it, provisions with
such care as would justify me in pronouncing an opinion
upon its merits ; that it w►n condemned by the commercial
classes of the country, and that I had no doubt, from the
discontent manifested in several quarter', that the subject
would engage the attention of Congress at its next meeting,
sod probably mime important modifications would be made
in it. The finances of the government wens at this time
temporarily embarrassed, and I hail no doubt the provisions
of the new tariff were adopted with a view, although pro-
bably a mietaken one, of sustaining the credit of the trea-
sury as much as of reviving the protective policy. He then
asked me my opinion as to the course of policy that would
be adopted toward the seceding elates, and whether I
thought force would be employed to coerce them into sub-
mission to the federal authority. I told him that I could
only give him my individual opinion, and that I thought
force would not be employed ; that ours wan a
government of public opinion, and although the Union
unquestionably possessed all the ordinary powers neces-
sary for its preservation, as had been shown in several
partial insurrections which had occurred in our history, yet
that the extreme power of the government could only be
used in accordance with public opinion, and that I was satis-
fied that the sentiment of the people wait opposed to the
employment of force against the seceding states. So sin-
cere was the deference felt in that country for the great
principle of self-government, and so great the respect for
the action of the people when adopted under the impaling
forms of state organisation and state sovereignty, that I
did not think the employment of forte would be tolerated
for a moment, and I thought the only solution of our dif-
ficulties would be found in such modifiustions of
our constitutional compact as would invite the
seceding states back into the union, or • peace-
able acquiescence i• the assertion of their claims to
• separate sovereignty. M. Thouvenel expressed his opinion
that the employment of force would he unwise, and would
tend to a further rupture of the confederacy, by causieg
the remaining southern states to make common muse
with those which had already taken action es the subject.
—I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
QUALM J. FAULZSIIi.
HOD. Wm. H. Seward, Secretary of State.
(No. 7.)

Department of State, WashingtoB,
May 4, 1861.

Sir,—The desintehm of your predecessor. Nos. 117, 119,
and 120, have been received. The Litter, acknowledging
the receipt of our letters of recall, and announcing his in-
tended return, requires no special notice. No. 117 beam
the date of Sth of April last. It contains only an exposi-
tion of Mr. Faulkner's views of the policy which the go-
vernment ought to pursue in regard to the disturbed con-
dition of affairs at home, but, at the same time, gives us no
information concerning the state of affairs in Franc*.
The instructions heretofore transmitted to you will show
you the President's views on the subject Mr. Faulkner hes
discussed, and these will be your guide, notwithstanding
any different opinions your predecessor may have expressed
or left on record et Paris.

No. 119 hems date of the 15th April last, and contain. a
report of an official conversation, ►nd also of an unofficial
one held between Mr. Faulkner and M. Thouvenel. In
the former conversation M. Thouvenel asked Mr. Faulkner
whether there is not some diversity of opinion in the
cabinet of the President as to the proper mode of meeting
the difficulties which now disturb the relations of the states
and the peers' government. Mr. Faulkner, in reply, said
that he had no information on the subject. The matter is
of no great moment, yet it is desirable that there be no
misapprehension of the true MAW of the govevament in the
present emergency. You may, therefore, recall that con-
versation to M. Thouveners memory, and then assure him
explicitly that there is no difference of opinion whatever
between the President and his constitutional advisers, or
amcng those advisers themselves, concerning the policy
th►t has been pursued and which is now prosecuted by the