Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-03-08

extraordinary hazard without any distur-
bancc of the general peace, His Majesty's
Government has the satisfaction ofthinking
that it has. on more than ono occasion,
been instrumental in rcconciling differences
which might otherwise have led to quar-
rels. and in ccmcnting union between friend
ly Powers.
But If ever there could be an occasion
on which it would be painful to the British
Government to sec the relations of amty
broken off between two friendly States, that
occasion is undoubtedly the present, when
rupture is apprehcndcd between two great
Powers, with both of which Great Britain is
united by the closest ties with one ofwhich
she is engaged in active alliance, with the
other ofwhich she is joined by community
Of interest and by the bonds of kindred.
Nor would the grounds of difference on
the present occasion reconcile the friends
and well.wishcrs of the differing parties to
the misfortune of an open rupture between
them.
When the conflicting Interests Of two ma
nations are 50 opposed on particular ques'
ton as to admit Of no possible compro'
mise, the sword may be required to cut the
knot which reason is unable to unite.
When passions have been so excited on
both sides that no common standard Of JUS
tice can be found and what one party insists
on as right the other denounces as wrong,
prejudice may become too headstrong to
yield to the voice of equity and those who
can agree on nothing else may consent
to abide the fate of arms, and to allow that
the party which shall prove the weakest in
the war shall be deemed to have been wrong
in the dispute.
But in the present case there is no ques'
ton of national interest at issue between
France and the United States. In the pre-
sent case there is no demand OF justice
made by one party, and denied by the 9TH
er. The disputed claims Of America on
France, which were founded upon transac'
tions in the early part of the present CEN
tury, and were for many years in litigation
have at lengh been established by mutual
sent, and are admitted by a treaty conclu'
ded bewteen the two Governments. The
money due by France has been provided
by the Chambers, and has been placed at
the disposal ofthe French Government for
the purpose of being paid to the United
States.
But questions have arisen between the
two Governments, in the progress OF those
transactions, affecting, on both sides, the
feelings of national honor; and it is on this
gro,nd that the relations between the parties
have been for the moment suspended, and
are in danger Of being more seriously inter-
rupted.
In this state of things, the British Gov.
ernment is led to think that the good offices
of third Power, equally the friend ol
France and of the United States, and
prompted by considerations of the highest
order, most earnestly to wish for the con.
tinuance of pcace, might be useful in restor.
ing good understanding between the two
parties, on footing consistent with the NJ.
cest feelings of national honor in both.
The undersigned has, therefore, been In.
structed by His Majesty's Government for.
mally to tender to the Government of the
United States the mediation Of Greai Brit
ain for the settlement of the differences be.
tween the United States and France, and to
say that note, precisely similar to the pre-.
sent, has been delivered to the French Go.
vernment by His Maiesty's ambassador at
Paris. The undersigned has, at the same
time, to express the confident hope of His
Maiesty's Government, that if the two par.
ties would agree to refer to the British Gov.
ernn,ent the settlement of the point at issue
between them, and to abide by the opinion
which that Government might, after due
consideration, communicate to the two par.
tiss thercupon, means might be found of sat.
isfying the honor of eacn, without incurring
those great and manifold evils which a rup.
turc between two such powers must inevlta.
bly, entail upon both.
The undersigned has the honor to renew
to Mr.. Forsyth the assurance of his most
distinguished consideration.
CHARLES BANkI1EAD.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, FEB. 3, 1886.
Tho UNDERSIGNED. Secretary of State OF