Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-15
Richmond, Tuesday, Dec. Id
THE FRENCH QUESTION.


THE FRENCH Question:
Watch the weahcrcock ON the steep!e-Count inc
phases of the hoon-Sudy the varying caprices of the
ccouucttc-and then you may form some idea OF the
soncrse,s and mutations Of the Wing Who can con,
fdr in such tickle oracle? Who can trust one moment
~ its discretion? The child Of impulsc-the slave OF
P,rty-"a camceon upon aspen leaf, ever changing
ever trembling sounding one mole: ana t'ho'
row anolheraking its ground without reiiectIon, ana
aha ndouiur without reserve, ana prolhpleo at as u
obey the whistle OF It's party; what ian -. aSh
rcpose in it, How its own party contlde IN Its fas
rcrkcss eyer-shiting direction:-Did we mol say on
Saturday. that it would abandon the gr"unds aa taken
about The Presidents Mcssage Did we not PIN It's rst
declarations to the counter that we ''s" see III" q
Iy il would yccr about: 1t began by pronouncing the
MESSAGE az it related to the French Question, patrouc
1t will as certainly end if its party can make any g
by the revolution in dcnouncng IT, root ana oFahch j.
1t is already shifting It's positions eSeiuay! uu
not hesitate to rc.echo the acous: and nnparloc src.
lures of the National Inteligcnccr-and to recommend
the views oft he Telegraph, in the following language
The able riers OF the National lnteligcncer VIII we
suppose make the impression on Inc puns ',.nu,
10 be recognized by The ATTEST portion q Me p0ltca press
The first impression which general that the tone OIL
the Message was pacifc. seems fast yielding TO more
mature and comprehensive examination me opinion
will tely prevail that the Message pacc only IN
out,rard show and rcyLiage The National nrlIgencer
regards it in the character of Manifesto preliminary 10
War dcsgncd to prepare and reconcile The fcoPie 70
ism would approve the appeal to Having exhibit
cd this pacific shoo to endc the rery prcracM 6et that
he was anxous for war, the President upon MT Barton
return will manifest his real nrnationS, and III suose,
qucn message cndrayor 10 rouse the people by an appeal
to their prdc nmd patr0Sm Lctany man cnlnly reject
and he will be convinced from the pains the flesidcn'
takes 10 pqradc grCraAccs France, and from his
orders Mr. Barton that Mars is predominant IN the
Message The latter circumstance is conclusyc-lor al
there was no necessity in honor from any other consi'
Geraon in recalling Mr. Barton under the
so it cod oay hare Lccn d0nc ch the design ct snf0m,
ing and still farther tnanslins the controversy -(ano
yet this Message was pronounced to be Patrt0tteJ
We annex the vie ws Of number OF journals oil rePu-
ta,ion Those from the Telegraph are especially worthy
of conside ration, &c. &c
The Italics arc all our They point to the cuts
and inuendoes which now made at tins 'PHtr'oAc
message Last week, it was all patriotic and now, II
i, all full of sinister designs and concealed tricks Take
the Wing in one mood, and it is black, blue. any thing
place il in lis true party light and like tile Cameeoh Of
Mcrrck :.produce the GcaSt and TO- 't'ras mhate:'
The Wing is mistaken in saying, that tho unpatrioc
and uncandd views Of the Intelligence "appeur to he
nliay recognized by the abes portion OF the Po-
Utica press. Heaven knows how soon they may under
20 the mctamorploss which the Wing is passing thro
but 50 far they have spoken out without receiving the
cue ohc Inteigencer they have spoken generally and
substantially like patrots-not parzans We Will give
a few specimens from Wing papers,
(From the y. Y .1mericnn)
Thc topic about which the greatest solicudc is felt,
stating that since the last meeting of Congress- the va
dty of the treaty had been acknowledged by all branch
es Of the French Government-by voting the money
the withholding of payment is officially announced.
lust and convincing puation is then made Of the
nature and origin of claims upon France, and OF the
protrac,ed negotiations, which finally resulted in the
treaty of July The right of any foreign Govern ncn
to ask explanation of any thing that passes between the
different branches of this government, is formally de-
Med and the ground distinctly taken that no such e1-
PLANTATION can or will be made, &c &c.
" On the whole, the message may be deemed pacific
while the general conviction will certainly be strength
cned by it that in the language OF the resolution unani-
ousy adopted by the House of Representatives on the
Cd March asl-'in the opinion OF this House, the treaty
with France of 18th of July, 1881 should be maintained,
and its execution insisted on The matter now rests
with France-the present Message States in the most
explicit language that offence insult: rcproach
of bad faith was intended By thaGoflast year If, there
fore that gave offence, this may-f the disposition re-
ally existsin Francebc considered repairing it, and
thus the injury and the redress wall have been conveyed
through the same channel, &c. NC.
(From the ". Y Commercially
"Thcrc is energy and dignity in all this portion 'f
the Messagcand The conc udlng paragraph Of this dis
crIsson is well put and will not be without effect
France certainly have reason to complain of the
language the tone, of any part Of the Message rela
ting to her: although the phrase in ono paragraph
such was the insensibity Of the NIench) Ministry,
&c. might better have been avoided; while there is
taunt in the next paragraph but one following-wc al
ude to the sentence Having in this manner vindca
ted the dignity Of France, they next proceeded TO Illus
lrae her Justice, which also unnecessary.
Should prove true, that the fresh demand through
Mr. Barton has been refused is clear that cannot
ask for money again. This nation, in turn, stands
upon its dignity and the next overture must come from
France.
(Froa the Daily N. 7. .7drcrtiScr.)
"The Message is Of tho greatest interest. We have
but little time for comment We say, on hasly peru
sal, unhcstatingy, that the Message, all things cons
dered, is decidedly pacific Our affairs with France
,t,,
son.
"Thc President rccapuatcs the whole negotiation
between the two countrics and anxious 10 bring the
whole matter to close before the opening of the pre-
sent Congress- had instructed Mr. Barton to ask the final
determination of the French government, and in the
event of refusal TO pay the instrument due, to return
TO this country The result of this order is &et known
but is hourly expected The President says apology
will be made by him. thus he leaves the whole matter
recommending hostile mces"rcS-no non Intercourse
increase Of duties any enbarrassments whatever
to our commercial retationa
(From the n. YJournalof Commercial
"The part relating to France as was cPaed is pa
cifc, though frm-charactcrstcs which accord unques
tonably with the will Of the nation.
"The President most distinctly, dsavows the idea Of
in his former message but as distinctly states
been given already Probably, however, this very Mes
will be regarded by the French government as con-
tanning the explanation required And yet, in some
respects, it is not wanting in severity.
From the N. Y. Courier ind En4nircr.)
"The situation ofour relations with France, and the
prospects Of an amcable Infringement necessarily occu
ply conspicuous place in the Message and in this re.
gard il is worthy Of all praise will be perceived that
while Congress is not called to adopt any legislation
against France the idea oan apology explanation of
the message of 1884, is declared to be entirely out of the
question.
'Taking all these things in connection, there cannot
be doubt in the mind Of any reasonable man, that the
character of future relations with France depends
exclusively upon the fact, whether she has has not
paid Mr. Barton the indemnity; if paid, all is well-if
not and Mr. Barton returns home he is ordered d.
the Especial message promised to Congress will doubt
less recommend very strong against her-such
as in all human probability, will erentua,e in declara
Ion of VII b. E1ance aGlInst This cnluiru