The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-14
The Relations of the United states with
France and England.

France and England.
An ambitious contemporary, writing from
Wall street, rejoices over the discovery that
Lord Clarendon referred to South and no. to
North America, when he spoke of the perfect
unity of sentiment and design which existed
between France and England in respect to all
questions on this continent. 1t ADDS that Lord
Clarendon twas panied to hear that his Ian
guage had been interpreted in this country in
such way as to excite alarm or apprehension
that, not content with verbal assurances of
his regret to i" one who always and everywhere
takes an interest in what concerns his country
more, we fear, than his ungrateful country
takes in him-his lordship wrote a written dis
claimer of the designs imputed to him, which
document is now fled on record in the State
Department at Washington. In short, accord
ing to our contemporary, we are to understand
that the unity of sentiment and concert of ac-
ton whish Lord Clarendon announced would
be the basis Of all the future movements of
France and England in the continent of Amer
lea, was nothing more than an understanding
with regard to the affairs of La Plata, and had
no reference whatever either to Cuba or
Mexico.
This assertion is worth notice at the present
moment If it be true, legitimate source of
uneasiness is removed from our minds, and we
may form more unbiased judgment on the
European quarrel than we can now pretend
to entertain. If it be false, Lord Clarendon
stands in an awkward dilemma. lie has either
wilfully stated what is false, with view to de-
ceive ~, or he and his colleagues have aban-
doned, in the hour of their need. designs hostile
to us, which they formed in the hour of their
might and security. We are impelled to say
that review Of the facts renders the latter sur
mise the more probable of the two; and leaves
us at least under the impression that the asser-
ton Of our contemporary is substantially coz
trary 10 the fact.
One Of the very first Gets of Louis Napoleon.
after his election as President of the French
people. was to endeavor to cement the friend
ship existing between him and Lord Palmer
ston, who was then leading member Of the
British ministry. The French President was so
successful in his scheme that Lord Palmers.on
took lively interest in his progress to power,
and, as everybody recollects, displayed so nc
tive sympathy for the movement of the % of
December as to bring himself into disrepute,
and hi. ministry into disgrace in England, One
Of the few points on which The new ruler OF
France found that he and Grea, Britain could
agree perfectly was what they called the main
tenance of the Staiu quo on This continent.
This was, in other words, the prevention Of any
movement by which either Cuba or any portion
81 Mexico shor..a pasa under tho dominion Of
The United States. On this Louis N..,o,eon
and Lord Paimerston were or one mind. There
can be no doubt that they understood one an
other on the subject even before Lord Derby's
accession to power ii is not however
till after the tories were expelled from
office, and the coalition liberal cabinet
succeeded them. that we have actual evidence
of the arrangement A formal understanding
that Great Britain and France should interfere
to prevent the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the United
States at The expense Of Mexico or SPAIN must
have been one of the first negotiations between
the new British ministry and the French En-
peror. Il first took the shape Of project Of a
treaty, which NJ. de Sartiges on the one side.
and Lord John Russell on the other, earnestly
urged upon our government for acceptance.
Notified in unequiyocal language that we could
be no party to so onesided bargain Lord John
Russell reminded III that Great Britain and
France would thcnceforth pursue their course
Independently. The language Of his letterwas
alone sufficient to show what was The nature Of
the understanding between them. Fortunately,
however, we are not compelled to rely alto
gether upon it. ut the time the foreign am
bassadcrs were pressing the tripartitc treaty
upon Mr.. Fillmore's administration, and the re-
luctanee OF our government to entertain their