Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-02-28


trines Of both oratorseserve particular report for
your Intelligencer.
You have been Informed BY me, by the, Hayre
packets, of the pregnant discussions on the Texas
or American question in the Chamber. Of Peers IN
the 18th and l3th ultimo, and Ia that Of the Dem-
ties on the Goth and 2lst. The subject was OPEN
ed TO the Peers by Count PELLET DE La LozrRr.
once Cabinet Minister, and the author Of a rood
outline or compendium Of the History Of the Uni
ted States. He examined and condemned the pro-
ceedngs of the Government in the case of Texas as
highly mpoliiic and partial he represented our
country as the surest most natural necessary al
ly Of France; he lamented that the Government
had rendered impossible its umpirage in the con-
troversy between the United States and England.
He marvelled that alarm should be raised about an
imaginary universal republic Of the United States
when there was real universal maritime monarchy
of England, which France and the United States
together alone could check and resist. His sensi-
bic and pertinent structures occupy about four CO.
lumns Of the Monifeur Usaiversel where alone they
are properly reported His main purpose was to
force Mr.. GUIzoT into an immediate explanation Of
his measures and views, SO as to lay him open for
the attacks which would be made in the Chamber
of Deputies. The Minister satisfied this purpose
by an elaborate exposition of his acts otives and
theories, and solemn declaration Of French neu-
and our Republic. His doctrines of balance Of
power for our continent, and Of limitation to orr
republican power, are wholly unsustainable. He
certainly won the assent and applause of the ma
iority Of the Peers. No one Of them ventured to
enter the lists in support of Count Pellet. On the
10Th, in the Chamber Of Deputies, Mr. THEIRS un-
dertook the theme, and treated it as became an at-
letic debater and SPACIOUS French statesman. His
refutaton Of Mr.. GuIzoT's pleading and wild spe-
cuations, and his well-reasoned preference of the
American to the British alliance, fill page and a
half of the Moniteur Of the 2lst uliimo He placed
himself on lofty and broad grounds, with admirable
ease and vigor Mr.. GUIzoT asked respite until
the next day, when the debate was re-opened by
him in rather weak repetition Of what he had ut
tered in the other Chamber, followed by an enlarge
ment of his balancetheory embrace the whole
world. OF the three stupendous, overshadowing
nations, the American, Russian, and British, he
deemed the first the most formidable to the univer-
sal equilibrium. He developed the topic of his de-
claration Of neutrality, urging this policy as safe
guard against excitement and sympathy in France
in favor of the American republican cause, should
hostilities occur. He again defended and glorifed
the entente cordiale. His two speeches warranted
the common remark of the London papers that they
showed how entirely the French Government was
with them, heart and hand" on the Oregon, as it
had been on the Texan question-how little aid or
sympathy the United States had to expect in this me-
ridian. The Minister was followed by Mr. BILAULT,
OF the Left Centre an animated, we-informed, cogent
speaker, always heard with attention, always felt
by the different parties. He exploded Mr.. Cur
zoT's principal statements and fancies with charac-
teristic skill, and brought him, by means Of texts
into the roupdest Standardization. The day be-
fore yesterday began for you regular abstract Of
the official correspondence and of all these exceed
ingly interesting speeches, but personal business
and various Interruptions prevented me from adj
vancing beyond Mr. GUIzoT's first disclosures in
the Chamber of Peers, You can use as you please
what contrived to accomplish. It imports the
American Councils and politicians generally that
the illusions Of all the orators should be submitted
to their serious reflection, in translations from the
pages of the Moniteur, in which accuracy and pleni
tude have been studied.
The strife was renewed in yesterdays sitting Of
the Deputies, and with results or incidents which
lose no time in noting briefly. By these discus
sions the American question shows itself with new
and important aspects for own Republic and for
France. II is much, indeed, that so many of the
influential orators and public writers are engaged in
opening the eyes and hearts of their countrymen to
the mistakes receptions of their Government, and
the nature of the feelings and relations suitable
and preferable between them and our Union. BER-
RIVER, the splendid orator of the Legitimists, pro-
posed, to paragraph of the address, this amend
ment: /" If peace should be disturbed by the con-
ficting claims of two great nations, France will
: take care that no violation shall be committed on
: the principles Of public law, which protect on
: the seas the liberty and dignity Of international
relations" The old prescriptive doctrines of
France on the neutral rights are, as you know, di-
recy in conflict with the belligerent pretensions Of
Great Britain. Ii is not possible for me to follow
BERRyER in his mpctuous and effective assaults on
most of Mr.. GuIzoT's positions. He dissipated the
pretences Of equilibrium and neutrality, and pro-
nounced Ministerial subserviency TO the British
Court and Cabinet to be the true explanation to all
that had been done, and was now vanished with
false ridiculous CLOSES The premature decla-
ration he believed to lie meant to encourage the
British and dispirit the Americans in the Oregon
negotiation. Nothing could be ventured more hos
tile to the latter. The beginning of the feigned
neutrality in the case Of Texas was adversary and
jealous action; the continuance of it the pro-
clamation Of passive system, thought to be inju-
rious and the only practicable mischief for no
imagined that France could be- forced or betrayed
into hostile coalition with England against the
United States. "Your neutrality" exclaimed the
orator. "has the most detestabe character it is not
French, and you demonstrate this by your very
!. words--by all your special reasons" He spoke
for hour and half or more after full preparation.
Mr. GUIzoT fought his battle with bis usual intrepid
ity. He affirmed that there were people both in Eng
ovJ A H. v,soJt< md fhn