The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-22
Z H E REPU BLIC.
WASHINGTON:
SATURDAY MORNING, SEPT. %, ls4s.


The Affair or the French Minister.
We publish this morning the official
correspondence connected with the dis
missal of the late French minister at
Washington. 1t occupies the columns
usually devoted to our editorials, and
leaves us no room for comment. This
compels us to defer paying our respects
to our venerable contemporary, who, OF
course, takes sides strongly against Presi-
dent TAYLOR. Wea annex few articles
from our exchange papers on the subject
of this correspondence.
From the w. Y Courier DIES Etats- Unis
For two days a most unexpected and most extra
ordinary incident has agitated the press and the
public. NJ PoUssIN, Minister of France at Wash
ngton, has been informed that his passports were
at his service; in other words, the American Gov
eminent has given his congo to the representative
of France. A rupture of this kind was unlocked
for, it seemed little induced by the nature
of the relations which have hitherto existed be-
tween the two Governments, that no could
plain the abrupt and severe decision made by the
President. Hence conjectures have had full scope
l
that objections made by the French Government to
the appointment of Mr.. RIvEs were the cause fthe
dismissal Of M. PoUssIN; others thought they dis
covered reasons more direct, more personal, more
particular But whatever was the truth, it is not
less true that the news had marked influence on
the United States stocks. The six per cents pay
able in 1857 experienced considerable fallsold at
ll25 the day preceding, they could be bought day
before yesterday at ll0t. Such fall has been for
for some time unusual in Wall street
The causes of the rupture which has thus taken
us by surprise not positively known to this
hour; and in spite of the direct information that
we have been able to obtain this point, they re-
main difficult Of explanation. We add, that the
person most interested in the question, Major Pous-
SIN, who the day before yesterday still in New
York, very much surprised by the conduct OF
the United States in regard to him. In short, the
only fact which, at the moment we write, Is
positively established is that the Minister Of France
at Washington has received his congo; and the
probability which results from the different expla
nations furnished by the correspondence is, that
this congo is the consequence of some very sharp
communications which have passed between Messrs.
CLAYTON and PoussIN, in relation to certain pri-
vate claims of French citizens. No question that
can be called really national is found, to this mo-
ment at least involved in the lanentable difficulty
which occupies US.
(After abiding to certain statements in the other
New York papers, the Courier DIES Etats- Unis
tinues y
One only journal has given the details circum
stantialy with precision, having all the character
stics of authenticity; this was the Courier and En-
quirer. II took the affair very seriously, and
sumed that the Government at Washington could
not have acted otherwise than it has done, without
IA. IL
fend and maintain the honor of the country
The solemnity of this declaration, the kind of au
thorty with which this journal expressed itself, Ia
journal which possesses, should state, high po-
tical influence the very form of its recital-every
thing, seemed to announce that it spoke wel-ad-
vsedly; its words had therefore already produced
sufficiently profound impression, when a semi Off
cial confirmation arrived to give them still more
weight ..
Now, Geographic despatch signed Independent
was found to be exact resume Of the article pub
lshed by the Courier and Enquirer. Evidently, the
latter had drawn from good sources and if certain
intiInations are to be relied upon, these sources
would have been placed at its disposition in adj
vance. II would have been, they say, selected for
this important communication, on account of the
very independence in which it stands towards the
Cabinet We, then, can hardly be wrong in re-
we shall reproduce all that there is in it of import
ance.
(After TRANSMITTING the greater portion of the
Courier and Enquirer article, the Courier DIES Eats
Unis cites passage from the correspondence Of the
North american, and concludes follows:)
These lines assuredly naughty enough; they
would say that is the only remedy for the pres
ent state of things they would say that the United
States and France, which lately sympathized so
fraternally, ought to-day to treat each other
emies In truth, this would disturb U.S. if did
know the part that it is necessary for certain men
10 play, in the first transports of susceptibility.
Fortuna tely, statesmen not so fast journal
lists Explanations not by any means precluded,
in spite of the extreme point which affairs have
reached. Whena little calm shall have the
spirit of our brethren, they will return, cannot
but hope TO see in this affair that which really
lists in it-s question of forms, question Of cour
tesy. For our part, in spite of the somewhat surly
airs of our brethren in spite Of the abruptness
what sharp which may no doubt be attributed to the
proceedings of old Zach, believe sincerely that
neither the interest the dignity Of France find
themselves at this moment in jeopardy. These are
the quarrels Of dplomatsts, the susceptibities of
government; but there is nothing essentially grave
in them, nothing national at the bottom.
Frou ne Boiffuorr CiiDDer.