The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-10
DEBATE IN THE FRENCH CHAMBER OF
... DEPUTIES. ... ....

} CONCLUSION OF THE SPEECH Oh NJ. BERRYER
J One word more, gentlemen, if the chamber W
permit me, upon that which is now passing at tw
points Of the globe IN two hemispheres, al the san
time France is now participating, or Is about
participate, with England ia common action. TIL
news which arrived from the La Plata prov,
that whether in alliance with England or no
France 10 always the same; and the homage whic
The bravery, the lnepidiy, and the skill ofour Sea
men have eomPslled-this homage was expected b
| US, and we nesd not re-echo il here. Applause
Bot soilcisess ses the Independence Of the Frene
cabinet In IL rs.siscs With England solieitous 70
that liberty Of scsiea which we should presery
whenever we have line Of policy to adopt, | can
not sec without grief Notwithstanding the gloriou
ssws which reached us yesterday, the manner il
vAseA Ms French and English squadrons foan
thsessavss engaged IN community OF action in IN
La finsa. st Montevideo, sxainsi Rosas We ha,
nssrssss TO defend there had endured injury an,
vsxstioni our coantrymen had suffered much; and
more than all, we were under stipulated engage
| n, Bsrysrproossis IN q style of rapid and yigor
Gus narrative, 70 show that for long time IN,
French government declined active Intervention Il
the affairs Of Monteyideo, though il containet
200 resident Frenehnaen. He adds that when
at last this French population took up arms, they
were forbidden TO raise the tri color flag and to
present themselves in the character OF French
troops. He proceeds to say that when this course
OF action was made matter Of reproaeh against the
cabinet, II pleaded its construction ofthe meaning OF
the treaty, in which the Independence Of Monte
yideo was stipulated. He then proceeds ms fol-
lows:
What then occurs Aher a lapse of seysra
years, England her interests injured and the honor
Of her dag wounded IN the waters Of the La Plata
has punishment TO iniet, and satisfaction 10 OBJ
tain. Then the state Of things changes; and il is
upon that day only, AFTER having so long forgotten
the interests Of France and the honor Of France
loud applause at the eitI-on that day only we
ind our squadron uniting with the British feet 10
avenge the honor and sustain the interests Of Eng
land! Applause on the right and on the left
Such IL the policy Of our political ENHANCEMENT;
,0S pOIiiiqus de siuatiOHsj) such are the eircum-
stances under which we can enter upon community
Of action with England.)
We shall soon see whether, upon another scene,
the policy Of our cabinet has not been led on len.
frGinS) by facts OF similar character said that
saw with grief this union Of the Frenah and Eng.
lish squadrons in two hemispheres. In fact on the
other side Of Africa in another part OF the world an
expedition is spoken of-N French expedition-and
with IL English expedition--on the shores OF
Madagascar. Madagascar Is French possession.
The right Of France 10 the ownership and SOW
eregnty Of that country is not to be disputed their
recognition resulted even from the arrangements Of
the unfortunate treaty Of 1915.
NJ. Berryer proceeds TO urge that as early as
1910, French interposition in, the affairs Of Mads
gascar was imperiously demanded. The French
government remained insensble to the demand ill
short time since, when England received an afront
there, and at once announced that reputation would
be demanded.
He then proceeds On that very day. TOO France
came TO sense Of her insult, and from that moment
the Madagascar expedition was resolved upon.
Thus It has been with us-patience and long suffer.
ing while outrage confines itself to France; prompt
tDt han ~ tnt,eb has
land. Loud applause at the right | repeat
gentlemen, all this makes me anxious as
TO the character Of that French policy into which
we are now asked to enter All this makes me fear
that we are wholly wanting in that Independence
and liberty Of action which are Indispensable when
we are to play part in great question, and to
aske our share in most important interests. $685.
We come to the last point of the question
The Minister Of Foreign Affairs, gentlemen, has
doubtless supposed that he gives US a commanding
proof Of the independent policy Of his cabinet in the
presence Of England, when he comes into this
chamber, and, in relation to the Oregon question,
pending between the United States and England
announces to us preciptately and prematurely that
if peace shall be disturbed, and conflict shall come
NEUTRALITY shall be the policy of France The
principle Of NEUTRALITY is his profession Of faith.
Gentlemen, can the Minister Of Foreign Affairs be-
leve that, in the view Of intelligent and rejecting
men, such declaration Of neutrality can appear
proof Of independence, and Of free action on the
part Of France What can you do more in opposi-
lion to the United States than make this decara-
ton Of neutrality, in the event Of conflict between
the States and England What measure more hos
tile to the United States can you, by any possbl-
ty, obtain from France than premature and sus-
tanned declaration Of neutrality Renewed applause
at the left Certainly no man can believe
that any part of ma ortes, or any power Of
cabinets, could determine France to enter,
in conjunction with England upon active war meas
~. III Co.,
imagine that France could in any way be urged into
a war not in conformity with the actual interests of
France. lay out Of view the power which belongs
10 those great martial recollections that magn6-
cent and glorious policy of Louis XVI, to those an
cient bonds which once united France and Amerca.
speak only of our present interests, Of our COM
mercial industry of our immense manufactures, Of
our trade with the Union. Consult the schedule
of the commerce between France and the United
States, and you will in it the great cotton estab
lishments of France consuming every year 50 000,-
900 lbs of cotton from America. What fate would
await all this industrial activity, if our commercial
relations with the Union were broken upi II is
wholly impossible, then, to imagine any cabinet
solving to plunge France into war with the United
States. What step then can you take more hostile
to your ancient ally than this very declaration of
neutrality beforehand ..
1t is in vain to quote against this view the decla-
ration of Washington. We have been twice told
tnat inc Cdnlilet inteHuh 70 follow towards the
United States the same line of policy which
Washington followed towards France. What
then was Washington's policy Did his declara-
ton Of neutrality take sides for France against
Frsnce' Was II to second those in America
who wished to join France in her war against
England, that Washington issued his proclamation
of 1892 No: That proclamation of neutrality in
1893 was an act done in Resistance to the American
movement, which sought to bring the gratitude of
America TO the aid of France in her struggle against
England! That proclamation of neutrality in 1873
was an act of hostility against us Bear me wit
ness the fact that this proclamation led to tia Brit
ish treaty Of 1884, and that in the treaty of 1884
those great maxims Of international law, which
now assert for the honor and in the interests of
France, were entirely sacrificed and set at nsught
In that treaty the United States admitted that French
goods, recognised such in American bottoms,
were prize Of war; and in this admission they
sanctioned the violation of that great maxim che
flag covers the goods''
M. oprLLoN BAksor. They were punished for it.
NJ BERRyER. You say that you are acting as
Washington acted. And when told you Just nov
that you could do nothing worse than this against
the United States, you invoked an example mani
fesdy in violation Of these great maxims Of nterna