The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-09

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Canvassers, at Albany, and the result gives two
more votes to Seymour. The canvass will, in all
probability, be completed to-day.
The Anglo-French Alliance and Its Prospects
OF Duration.
The visit of Lord Palmerston to the French
Emperor at SO momentous crisis as the pre-
sent, has naturally given rise to good deal Of
anxious speculatio We are disposed to re-
gard its objects, however in different light
from those who view them as likely to lead to
an extension Of the aggressive policy of the al
lance. We believe, ON the contrary, that they
will be found to tend rather towards the con-
traction of that policy, and perhaps even to o
separation Of interests in the event of certain
incidental obstacles, such for instance, as the
adverse action of other Powers interfering to
prevent the successful prosecution of the war.
The selection of Lord Palmerston for this
mission is in itself not of favorable significance
for the entente cordiale between the two gov
ernments. His relations with the French EN-
peror are SO well known that it is scarcely ne
cessary to recapitulate them. Whilst Louis
Napoleon was residing in exile in London, he
was coldly looked upon and ignored by the
old court party as, indeed, by most Of the Eng
lsh nobility, and it was then that Lord Pal
meIston first took notice Of him, in confor-
nifty with his policy Of always holding within
his reach, in case OF necessity, the elements
Of interference or disturbance in the af-
fairs of other States. The extraordinary
chances of fortune which elevated his protege
to the Presidency of the French republic, did
net, of course, diminish the interest which the
veteran statesman felt in him, and there is rea-
son to believe that the coup d'etat owed some
thing of encouragement, if not of inspiration,
to his counsels. However this may be, the
French Emperor had reason to feel deeply
grateful to Lord PalmerstOn for the prompt
ness with which the English Cabinet recognized
his usurped power, and it is to this feeling, as
well as to the ascendancy that his lordship is
known to possess over the mind of Louis Ma
poleon that we are indebted for the singular
anomaly of this alliance between two nations
whose interests and prejudices are SO diamstri-
cally opposed to each other. The choice of
Lord Palmerston, therefore, for mission
which, if it had only the objects attributed to
it, could as well have been transacted through
the English ambassador, would indicate either
that difficulties had arisen which it would re-
quire all his adrOitness and influence to smooth
down, or that new questions had been suggested
by the present critical posture Of affairs, which
are likely to compromise the future good un-
derstandipg and cordial cooperation of the
allies
Louis Napoleon, astute and able as he is, has
still more crafty and experienced politician
to zeal with in the person of Lord
Palmerstop. Thus far the latter has played
Mephistopheles to his Faust and benefited
him by the aid of his promptings, but when he
has served his turn and accomplished the OBJ
j,cts Of his connection with him, he will be
sacrificed without scruple to his lordship's pc
cnliar views OF the foreign policy Of his coun-
try Such has been Lord Palmerston's ruling
principle Of action during the course ofA,is long
political life. Parties and men have been with
him ut the stepping stones to his ambition. He
has had the talent OF rendering all those with
whom he has been thrown in contact in some
way or other subservient to his purposes, and
he has never exhibited any conjunction or hest
taticn in casting them aside Us soon as they bad
served his ends A recent illustration of bis
un-crupulousnessi 10 this regard is the of our
we'll known country man, the Chevalier Wikof
Approaching the lively parts and di plomatic
talents of that modern Villiers, he took him
into the service OF his government ct hand
some salary as a -cret agent, but owing either
to ,he fact Of the Chevaliers possessing too
much Yankee inquisitiveness and penetration
to be made aD unntelligent tool Of, or to his be-
ing TOO adventurous in his wooings for his
iordship's sense of diplomatic pro oriety-
although report tells some strange tales
of his own boldness in that wayne ter
minated the connection as abruptly and un-
accouptably as it was commenced. 1t may
have been that, contrary to his expectation, he
found the Chevalier try ing to make use OF him,
instead Of his being able to turn the Chevalier
10 account. This suppositon is likely enough
when we take the lAtter's love Of mischief and
talent for intrigue into account.
Arguing from these well-known features in
Lord Palmerstons character, we believe we are
not wide from the truth in inferring that his
mission to Paris is one involving considerations
OF the most delicate and difficult character and
it may he even the future good understanding
of the two governments. The events in the
Crinea will probablv precipitate this new phases