The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-19 00:00:00

FRANCE.

The correspondence with France is voluminous.
In a letter from Ex-Minister Faulkner to Secretary
Seward, the former, in detailing his conversation
with M. Thouvenel, says :
" M. Thou venel in his reply said that no application
had yet been made to him by the Uomfederate States,
in any form, for the recognition of their independence
—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 king-
dom of Italy—that ho believed the maintenance of
the Federal Union in its integrity was to be de-
cidedly for the benefit of the North and South as
well as for the interests of France, and the United
States might rest well assured that no hasty or pre-
cipitate action would be taken on the subject by
the Emperor. But while he gave utterance to these
views, he was equally bound to say that the practice
and usage of the present century had fully estab-
lished the right of (le facto Governments to recog-
tiou when a proper case was made out for the deci-
sion of foreign Powers. Here the official interview
ended."

The correspondence on lids point has already
been published.

Secretary Seward to Minister Dayton, May 30,
says :

" I first desire that M. Thouvenel may be in-
formed that this Government cannot but regard
any communication° hch.l bj
ment, even though unofficial, with the agents of
the insurrectionary movement in this country,
as exceptional and injurious to the dignity and
honour of the United States. They protest against
this intercourse, however, not so much on that
ground as on another. They desire to maintain
the most cordial relations with the Government
of France, and would therefore, if possible,
refrain from complaint ; but it is manifest
that even an unofficial reception of the emissaries of
disunion has a certain though measured tendency
to give them a prestige which would encourage
their efforts to prosecute a civil war destructive to
the prosperity of this country, and aimed at the
overthrow of the Government itself. It is earnestly
hoped that this protest may be sufficient to relieve
this Government from the necessity of an action in
the unpleasant subject to which it related.
" Secondly.—The United States cannot for a mo-
ment allow the French Government to rest under
the delusive belief that they will be content to have
the Confederate States recognised as a belligerent
Power by States with which this nation is in amity.
No concert of action among foreign States so recog-
nising the insurgents can reconcile the United
States to such a proceeding, whatever may be the
consequence of resistance.
" Thirdly.—The President turns away from these
points of apprehended difference of opinion between
the two Governments, to notice other and more
agreeable subjects.

" The tone of M. Thouvenel's conversation is
frank, generous, and cordial, and this Government
feels itself bound by new tics to France when her
Emperor avows his desire for the perpetual union
of the States. Especially does this Government ac-
knowledge that it is profoundly moved by the de-
claration of his Majesty, that ho would be willing
to act as mediator in the civil strife that unhappily
convulses our country. These expressions of good
will are just what have been expected from the Em-
peror of France. This Government desires that his
Majesty may be informed that it indulges not the
least apprehension of a dissolution of the Union in
this painful controversy. A favourable issue is
deemed certain. What is wanted is, that the war
may be as short, and attended by as few calamities
at home, and as few injuries to friendly nations, as
possible. No mediation could modify in the least
degree the convictions of policy and duty under
which this Government is acting, while foreign in-
tervention, even in the friendly form of mediation,
would produce new and injurious complications."
Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward, May 30, says:—
" I am happy to saythere is no disposition mani-
fested here, so far as I have observed, to favour the
rebellion in our Southern States, or to encourage
them as an independent Power. All recognition of
rights on their part is for commercial purposes only.
But the Government of France cannot, it says, look
at this rebellion as a small matter; that, embracing
as it does a large section and many States, they
cannot apply to it the same reasoning as if it were
an unimportant matter or confined to a small lo-
cality. M. Thouvenel says he has had no applica-
tion from the Southern Commissioners for any pur-
pose of recognition, and does not know even that
such persons are or have been at Paris."
Mr. Dayton writes to Mr. Seward, Nov. 7 ;
" Your despatch, No. 68, informs me of Mr.
Adams's communication of an intended counter-pro-
position to be made by England and France to our
Government in respect to Mexican affairs. Of this
I had heard before, and it made me less anxious as
to the question here, for the fact that a counter-pro-
position has to be made and answered would, of
necessity, as I thought, occupy time, and give the
United States a chance for reflection and perhaps
action. The prompt consummation of the matter in
London has rather taken me by surprise. I fear that
same misunderstanding of each other's meaning may
have occurred on the part of Mr. Adams and Earl
Russell, or one of them. At all events, a point has
been reached at a much earlier day than an intima-
tion of such intended proposition led rue to antici-
pate."