South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1836-01-30
SATURDAY.. JANUARY so. 1886.

I
| on the part OF the French Executive
was such as ! suppose, there was a
| corresponding one; on the part of ours,
to interpose no obstacle in obtaining
the assent Of the Chamber. How
stands the factf Mr.. Rives, in com.
municating to our Executive the result
of the negotiation, boosted Of his skill,
and the advantage which he had ac-
quired over the French negotiators.
pass him by. 1t was perhaps, na.u-
raj for him to boast. What does the
Executive dos With full knowledge
Of all the facts, forewarned of the diff
| Guilty which the French ministry would
have to encounter in the Chambers,
he publishes to the world this boastful
communication, which produced a
sensation in France, such as might
have been expected, which increased
in the same proportion the difficulty oil
obtaining the assent Of the Chambers
to the appropriation. The next step
increased the difficulty. Knowing, as
he did, that the appropriations Deepen
ded upon the Chamber, the then Sec
rotary OF the Treasury, without Sait-
ing for As action, drew bill for the
payment Of che frstinstalment, before
the appropriation was made, and be.
fore, of course, it could possibly be
paid. A protest necessarily iollow-
ed. accompanied with much irritation
on both sides.
With these obstacles created by our
own acts, the treaty was submitted
to the Chambers. Every effort was
made to obtain the appropriation.
The Minister displayed uncommon
zeal and abilities in defence of the
treaty but 10 vain, under these maui.
tiplied difficulties. The bill was re-
jectea by majority of eight votes /;
a number 90 small, in go large body,
tina. i, may be fairly presumed, without
any violence, that, had not Mr.. Rive's
letter been published, and the draft
drawn before the appropriations was
made, the majority would have been
ON the other side, and allthc unhappy
train OF CONSCIOUSNESS which have since
followed would have been prevented.
So earnes. was the French Ministry in
their efforts TO carry the bill, that their
defeat dissolved the Administration.
With these facts before US, who can
doubt where The responsibility rests
We had thrown the impsdiments 10
the wayne, who had been 80 urgen.
10 obtain the treaty, and we who were
to profit by its execution. 1t matters
not, in the view in which l ana eonsid-
ering the questios, to wha, motives
the acts of our Executive may be az
Observation-Disclosures TO design or though.-
lessaess, it esnnot shift the response
bility.
Let us now (said Mr.. c. proceed to
the next stage Of this most unfortunate
affair. s
Ipass over the intervening period
come 90 the opening of the next session
of Congress. In what manner does the
President. in his message at the opening
ofthe session, notice the failure of the
French Chambers to make the appro-
priation Knowing as he must how
much the acts to which; have referred
had contributed to the defeat Of the bill,
and that his Administration was respon-
sible for those acts, it was natural to ex-
pect THAT he would have noticed the fate
of the bill In the oalmest and most gentle
manner that he would have done full
justice to the zeal and fidelity of the
French Executive in its endeayor to OBJ.
tain its passage, and Would have thrown
himself with confidence on the justice
and the honor of the French nation for
the fulfilment of the treaty. In word,
that he would have done all 10 his power
to strengthen the Executive Government
in France 10 their future efforts to obtain
the appropriation, and carefully avoid
every thing that might interpose addi-
tional obstacles. instead of taking this
calm and considerable course,so well cal
culated to secure the fultilment of the
treaty, and SO BETTING the dignity an,
Justice of our Government, he serbs ,
message to Congress, couched in tn,
strongest terms, and recommending tina
he should be invested win authority t.
issue letters Of mar9.le and reprlsal ii
the event of the appropriation not beias
made--a measIfe, if not tantamount tt
war, ieadslg to it by almost necessar.
consequence. The message was receiv
e1 III France with the deep feeling OF If
ritatlon, which might have been expect
ed; and Under this feeling. with ali the
timpedinferits which it was calculated t.
create, the bill to carry the treaty int
effect had the second time to make it
appearance In the Chambers. They wer
surmounted. The bill passed; bul no
without conditlon--a condition who
causes the present difficulty.
deeply regret (said Mr.. C.) the con
ditlon. La my opinion the honor
France did not REQUIRE it. and the onl