The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-21
THE DAILY UNION

A
and the minister of foreign affairs replied to M.
fhiers's speech respecting the Intervention of the
government on the Texas question, and the policy
which France ought TO observe towards the United
States M. Guisot did not reterate, in gentle Lam
guage, most OF the arguments he had adduced on the
same subject In the Chamber Of Peers.
He said that the commercial and political interest
OF France had alone dictated the course that had
been pursued relative TO the anne xation of Texas.
There existed between that State and France trsa.
~ OF commerce, and the annexation stripped her
from the futrfe advantages her navy and trade
| might have derived from il. On the other hand
Inc excessive ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Of the United States
was, IN political point Of view, by no means do
l siTuble.
Amer absorbing Texas their ambition would IL
directed to Mexico and the balance 81 power, which
It was necessary 70 maintain in The Nv inst as
4 yell eb in the Old World, would be DESTROYED.
Such were the considerations that had determined
| the French government TO advise Texas 10 main.
tain lis Independence against the Ambitious preten-
sions Of the United States; and the same advice
! would have been given to Texas had its independ-
ence been threatened, not by the American confed-
eracy, but by England.
| The part which France had taken in the affair
had, however, been very United One; she had
confined herself 10 Warning Texas, and sbstainea
| from further interference the moment the Texan
people had declared in favor Of annexation. The
Washington cabinet had had no reason TO lake Of
fence at this conduct wherein France had done but
what she had right TO do, with propriety and mod
i Grafton.
Although the language used by President Polk in
! his message betrayed much irritation il was to he
hoped that so transient a Misunderstanding would
not impair the friendly relations that existed, and
ought always 10 exist, between the two countries.
As'regarded the question Of the Oregon territory,
NJ. Gui1ot added lhet France had nothing TO do
with u; che must sincerely. wish for the ,uunsn-
ahee Of sacs, Sut, should the differences unforIu-
tnaely end in hosties, France would in, mediately
reap tho Immense advantages arising from neutral
iy.
II NJ. Billaut replied at great length 10 the Minister
for Foreign Affairs, but was listened to with much
less Attention than usual. NJ. Berger notified that
he should move the insertion OF an additional para
4 graph respecting Texas and the United States, in
the way Of an amendment to the address, and the
general debate was then closed. The remainder Of
Wednesday, discussion is scarcely worth mention
ing.
Awaiting himself Of the first paragraph of the sd-
Dress NJ. Gustaye de Beaumont revived Nj. Le-
grand's imputations against the cabiDet respecting
sundry electoral inIigues and entered into various
details on the subject, which Of interest what
ever to the English reader. The Minister of the
Interior denied their correctness, and postponed a
further reply to the following day.
i ALGIERs-THE FRENCH DISASTER
Another disaster has befallen the French in Alge-
ria. Gen. Eavasseur, ad interim commandant OF
to put down instruction in the district of Belle
IONA. /; had been already partly quelled by Col
Herbillon, who was stationed at Balns, and a tribe
called the ouled-S'!lams, at whose head 81
Saad. El-Tabbani, an Arab OF the Ouled-Tebban
tribe, alone held out
General Lavasseur, who had left Constantine
with 200 men, effected his junction with Colone
HerbIllion, and battalion came from Sesif where
by his column amounted TO about Z 800 infantry and
cavalry. His hrs, operation an unjust anc
Il = - -
ed the canaan" from Col. Herbillion, and even al
ready paid the fine to which they had been con
Iemned for their rebellion Gen. Levasseur, reject
ing their prayers for mercy, charged and put hun
dred OF them to the sword.
On the 25Ih OF December, he turned his wrath
on the OuledTebbans, their villages were plunderec
T and burnt without their offering any resistance, Of
the French losing a man. On the LIST OF January
the native village Of S-Sasd Ben Tebbani shared IN,
same fate, and the troops composing the column ha,
now but to return to their respective garrsons. Tn,
weather had hitherto been favorable; but on the d
Of January snow began to fall in such abundanc,
that The ground covered with it, and the
roads became impossible.
The French column was but short distance
from the plains, but according to letter. it entered
dehle in which the snow had gathered in larg,
quantities. For two days and two nights together
the troops were without either shelter or fuel ex
posed to the horrors Of cold and hunger the guide.
being unable to find their way in the protracted
snow storm. On the second night despair spread
among the men, large numbers of whom would ap.
pear to have persisted.
i The Moniteur publishes an official despatch from
General Levasseur, detailing this occurrence. Ii is
dated Setif, the 10th January; and ehough he pro-
fesscs to report with entire seracty "a catastrophe
for which he feels the deepest sorrow" he has prob
ably considerably palliated it.
After describing the weather as fearful he admits
that con the cruel Sd Of January, his column expe-
rienced de bsn regreiabes peres, and that his route
was marked by the corpses of unfortunate soldiers
whom the cold had killed" But he adds "in the
terrible trial they had just undergone, the troops
have displayed admirable morale and discipline
The composure Of the officers and patience of the
soldiers has not for moment been disturbed.
"Many men have entered the hospital in conse-
quence of the cold or fatigue; but can assure you
that according to the opinion Of the medical depart
ment, there very few serious cases. large
number Of men have come in, and more who had
lost their way in the snow, are daily returning.
This circumstance prevents my reckoning yet the
number Of the dead"
The Marseilles Semaphore, which publishes a
long narrative of the disaster, reckons but at about
a hundred men the loss sustained on the OCCASION
Two letters, quoted by the Natione state that eight
hundred men have remained buried under the snow;
other advces say six hundred, and that all the bag
gage, with provisions enough for above ten days,
have been lost. The Algerie, which has also re-
ceved private advicss, has the following:
"Thrty officers have had their hands and feet
frozen. Five men and several horses of the detach-
ment Of African chasseurs have died of cold fifteen
out of eighty men Of the wagon-train have persisted
A grenadier company of the Add has almost wholly
disappeared. Almost all the native muleteers lost
their lives on that terrible day. This unfortunate
affair, Of which we do yet know the extent, has
been duly construed by the Arabs to our detriment;
they have seen the hand Of God in il. We never
shall cease saying that General Lcvasseur's sorte
cannot be excused"
According to the Moniteur Algerien, Add el-
Kader, being closely pursued by Gen. Lamoricere,
at the moment he was moving towards the Yacoubia
mas country.
| Private correspondence ofthe European Timesl
PARIS, January 3l.-Mr. President Folks mes.
sage and the United States have occupied more
than ordinary share of the attention of the press the
parliament, and the public Of this country, during
the month that has elapsed, since last had the
honor to address you. proceed to lay before you
l I'll.