The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-02 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUA RY 2 ipfio

ritE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of yesterday.
The debate on the La Plata question was resumed
in the Assembly on Monday by the Minister for
Foreign Affairs, General Lahitte, who said that the
question was so grave, so complicated, and so delicate,
that every member of the Assembly must be anxious
to rest his judgment on authentic documents. He
accordingly would proceed to correct some errors
committed by the reporter of the Committee. One of
his principal arguments was the apprehension that
Rosas would attack the Brazils. Now, he had re-
ceived yesterday a memorandum from the Charge
d'Affaires of that empire in Paris, denying having
made any application to the Committee to obtain such
a declaration. The Brazils, he said, did not dread an
invasion, and the empire had hitherto maintained the
strictest neutrality on the question of La Plata.
General Lahitte had seen, a few days ago, M. Lisboa,
the Brazilian Minister in London, who declared to
him that the relations of that empire with Rosas were
perfectly satisfactory ; that if that chief became master
of Montevideo, he would have too much to do at home
to attack Brazil, and that, moreover, that country was
separated from the Oriental Republic by immense
plains and deserts.
M. Daru, reporter of the committee, said that he
had founded his opinion on the instructions given by
the French Government to its agent in La Plata,
dated the 22d of March last. That agent was in-
structed to proceed first to Rio de Janeiro, and inform
the Emperor of the object of his mission, because the
Brazils were directly interested in the question, and
that it was at the suggestion of the Brazilian Govern-
ment, in 1845, that England and France had resolved
to interfere.
M. Rouher, Minister of Justice, said that the Go-
vernment had not to choose between the two alterna-
tives laid down by the committee, and the responsi-
bility of the choice entirely belonged to the Assemble.
Should the Assembly decide in favour of the
war the Government would demand the credit
necessary, and execute the decree of the Assem-
bly. But, if it desired to know the opinion of
the Cabinet, he would say that it did not believe
the honour and interests of France demanded
war. In 1845 circumstances were different. There
were then between 19,000 and 20,000 French at
flontevideo. France was directly interested, and
owed protection to the French population. At pre•
sent their number did not exceed 2,000 or 3,000.
The remainder had emigrated to Buenos Ayres,
where there were now at least 10,000, protected in
their persons and property by General Rosas. In
1844 the commercial interests of France were at
Montevideo, whilst they were to-day at Buenos
Ayres. The Committee recommended a policy of
action, that was war, without permitting the
Government to have recourse to further negotia-
tions. War, it was said, would serve the com-
mercial interests of France in La Plata. Now, he
knew no other influence beneficial for free trade
than peace.—(A voice on the Left—" Peace at any
price.") The Committee had not calculated the
consequences of its recommendation. In 1838 coer-
cive measures had been resorted to, and in 1845 the
glorious battle of the Obliged() had been fought, and
he was not aware that they had produced any results
for the pacification of the country. In 1846 the
strictest blockade had been established by the British
and French squadrons, without a better result. M.
Darn had invoked the authority of General San
Martin. Now, he (M. Rouher) held in his hand a
letter written by that General on the 231 of
December last, stating an opinion diametrically
opposed to that adduced by M. Daru. What the
Committee proposed was the installation of a new
Algeria, at a distance of 3,000 leagues from France.—
(Bravos on the Right.) M. Rouher then proceeded
to demonstrate that the honour of France was not
engaged in the question. The treaty concluded
with Rosas secured the independence of Monte-
video, and provided that it should never be incor-
porated with the Argentine Republic. The ar-
mistice concluded with Roses had been reli-
; the French residents were
giously observed
effectually protected, and negotiations were still
pending, which the Government could not honourably
break off by a declaration of war. He had made
known to the Assembly the real interests of France
in the question, and he now informed it that the
Government would continue the negotiations, and
adopt efficacious measures for the protection of the
French residents against every contingency.
M. Daru observed that the speech of the Minister
was a reply to that of M. Larochejacquelin, and not
to his own. The Committee recommended not to
negotiate on the same conditions as hitherto ; not to
ratify the treaty; to choose between the abandonment
of Montevideo and action, of which the Government
should determine the strength and extent. By the
word "action" war was not meant.—(Expostulations
on the Left, and cries of " Shame, Annie " Close
the discussion.") The sending of an expedition
would complicate the question still more.—(Cries
of "Close the discussion.") He had not stigmatizA
the abandonment as a disgraceful retreat.— (Oh,
oh!) The Committee, in its report, had not in any
manner proposed the sending of an expedition to La
Plata. The question was so intricate that it was
impossible its discussion could be fruitful, and he
accordingly moved that it be referred to the Com-
mittee for further examination.—(Murmurs.)
conclude
tspesmaierneeapi'luy-retshfios
M. Larochejacquelin said, that he could not un-
derstand what was going on. The Minister had
spoken of measures to be adopted for the protection
of the French residents. Was a new negotiator to
be sent for the protection of the French residents ?
Was a new negotiator to be sent with a sufficient
force for the protection of French residents ? (M.
Rouher denied having used those words) M.
must
rose gaowtio
said,w ar becauset
what
h weat
Rochejacquelin replied that the question should be
put in terms intelligible to all. Some said, "We
must conclude peace because we cannot go to war ;"
and
dßouher others,
pa
r—t thee continueprotectprotection
nt the negotiationstheFrench
panodsMeda.he cannotpr
" .hWe re e
in La Plata.
M. Emmanuel Arago wished to know what were
the means the Ministry would resort tofor
the pro-
tection of the French settlers in Montevideo.
The
speech of M. Rouher, he said, added nothing to what
same as
was alreadon Syaturday, was known. The position -
exactly the
M. de Mornay said that the report had explained
nothing, and came to no conclusion. What d'dthe
Committee mean by action ? Was it peace or war The Government could not assume the
of the choice, for the Constitution formally
invested
the Assembly with the right of deciding on questions
of war.

ioe dhLat :Id apt
bltaehteean
anformerlyar Committeemed beenhaacdered it accredited,
dof
negotiator.M.
opinion
Admiral D
toe
ivr uis ea
enrkde
al)
ult
and supported by a fleet. The means employed
at Tangier and Mogadore might be again resorted
to. They were an intermediate between peace
and war.
M. Hubert de Lisle asked the Cabinet if it was
favourable to the appointment of an armed ne-
gotiator
M. de
nion of the Comm Mornayittee. again insisted on knowing the opi-
M. Daru explained that the Committee were in
favour of a negotiation backed up by military force.
M. Jules Favre proposed an amendment, calling
upon the Government to;withdraw from negotiations,
and to protect French citizens and French property
in La Plata, by an armed intervention.
M. Mornay declared that as the amendment had
not been proposed to the Committee, it could not be
put; an objection, the validity of which was ad•
mitted by
M. Dupin, who said he had already had put into
his hands seven amendments.
Several of these amendments were negatived with-
out a division, when the President put the question
of taking into consideration the following amendment,
proposed] by M. de Rance :—" A credit of ten millions
is opened to the Ministers of War and of Marine, to
support, by arms if necessary, the negotiations
pending between the French and the Argentine Re-
publics." The division was announced to be as
follows :

Present 627
Absolute majority —314
For the amendment ... 315
Against it ... ••• ... 312
The President drew the attention of the Assembly
to the fact that the absolute majority was only ex-
ceeded by one, and that therefore if on examining the
list the same names should be found twice, or there
should be found the name of a person known to be
absent, the result would be different.
The further consideration of the subject was ad-
journed to Wednesday.
The Journal des Debals has the following on the
La Plata question :
_

" The Committee has not ventured to come to a
serious determination, or to give a frank counsel to its
country. We cannot, for our part, admit as wise or
prudent these negative conclusions, presented, it is said,
through respect for the independence of the executive
power. As the new public right establishes that the
sovereignty resides in the National Assembly, the Com-
mittee was fully entitled to call the Minister for Foreign
Affairs before it, and concert with him as to the mea-
sures which it would be advisable to adopt. But, in
place of that, it stops up every issue except one,
through which it allows a timid proposition to filter
—to send two battalions to Monte Video. That would
scarcely be worth speaking of were it not that
it cloaks projects of great importance; were it not
that the experience of Rome has shown us what may
be expected from these seemingly easy undertakings.
In that case 6,000 or 7,000 men, and a campaign of a
fortnight, were to be sufficient to sweep away the
European demagogic assemblage who were then masters
of the capital of the Christian world. That occurred
here at our very doors, where we received every day the