The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-29 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1863.

Nothing could be more temperate, more humane,
or more dignified than the whole tone of the re-
markable despatch addressed on the 9th instant by
M. DROUYN DE IMUYS, in the name of the EMPE-
ROR, his master, to the French Minister at Wash.
ington. The argument is as symmetrical as could
be in its arrangement. It has throughout it the
most accurate logical sequence. There is no am-
biguity whatever in the language. The motives
inspiring the whole correspondence of which this
notable communication is but a part—though, as
the sequel will doubtless prove, a most important
part—are herein quite clearly and quite candidly
explained. They are explained, moreover, with-
out one particle of affectation without any
ostentation of generosity—without the faintest
tinge of the consciousness, or of the mere
suspicion of the consciousness, of anything at all
partaking of the character of exceptional benevo.
fence. M. DROITYN DE LIIITYS—who is in some
respects second only to his Imperial master as a
writer of State papers (and the Saturday Review
recently remarked, with conspicuous truth, that
NAPOLEON 111. is without any exception the most
brilliant and successful writer of State papers now
living)—M. DROITYN DE LHIJYS in this despatch
to M. MERCIER, the EMPEROR'S ambassador at
Washington, goes at once directly to the point with-
out apparently an instant's inclination to in-
dulge in the old diplomatic habit of circum-
locution. Ho first of all intimates that but for
the friendship entertained by the Govern-
ment of the EMPEROR for the United States
of America, the ill success of the recent overtures
from Paris, with a view, if possible, to shorten the
duration of hostilities, might be supposed to have
" cooled down" (refroidir) the interest with which
France, the EMPEROR, and his Majesty's Govern-
ment regard the incidents of that dreadful struggle.
Any supposition of that kind, however, he repu-
diates as altogether erroneous. "We cannot be-
hold," he says, " without profound regret, this more
than civil war, which may be compared with the
most terrible intestine commotions of the old re-
public, and the disasters of which multiply in pro.
portion with the resources and the courage dis-
played by each of the belligerents." Surprised by
the ill success of those earlier overtures,
the EMPEROR'S Government hastens to examine
into the validity of the objections raised
to the project of interposition on the part
of the chief maritime Powers of Europe,
of their interposition between the Federals and the
Confederates.

And here it is at once seen that the genial
and manly recognition by France of the per-
fect reasonableness of those same objections cannot
but go far towards winning the attention of both
North and South to the new suggestions now prof-
fered in the name of France with a view to their
'ulterior reconciliation. The susceptibility of the
American race is throughout borne especially in
mind. While the French Minister does not hesi-
tate to maintain, still, quite frankly, We conceive
that in offering to place ourselves at the disposition
of the belligerents, for the purpose of facilitating
between them negotiations, the basis of which
we abstained from prejudicing, we ren-
dered to the patriotism of the United
States the regard more than ever due to it now,
after so many proofs of moral force and
energy"—while insisting almost in a tone of in-
dignant self-vindication, " Assuredly, sir, there is
nothing in recurring to the good offices of one or
several neutral powers incompatible with the legi-
timate pride of a gent nation"—M. DROUYN DE
LIIITYS immediately adds, " We are nevertheless
prepared, in the desires we entertain in favour of
peace, to m allowance for the susceptibilities
of national sentiment, and we in nowise dispute
the right of the Federal Government to decline
the co-operation of the great maritime Powers of
Europe." The next thought comes to view na-
turally, therefore, in this wise—ls that, however,
really all that can be done with a view to the allevia-
tion of this frightful war ? In answer to which ap-
pears the new proposition. And that ? Wen—it is
simply, as we know, the opening up, if possible, of
between the belligerents themselves.