The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-15
vv.NcE AND THE UNITED STATES.

tisno secret to those who have resided in
n. that this country does not stand very
IA N the respect or affections of the French
nile or their Emperor. There are peculiar
I,.,ons for the unfriendly disposition of Napo-
I,o, By no press in the world has he been
:, politically and recklessly vituperated as by
ha American Press and its foreign correspond
.n,,. and he cannot forget the contempt with
,,b;eb he was treated by Mr.. Soule, our Min
;.,.r at Madrid, and the personal difficulty
,-,.,,aen that gentleman and the French Min
-, Nor can he be ignorant of the style
= which he is spoken of by the majority
of American travellers sojourning in his CAPT
g. But there are three causes which have
acted both on the Court and the People to our
datr;ment-the undisguised sympathy of our
Ministers and countrymen abroad with Russia
during the late struggle against her allgrasp-
mo ambition, the open championship of Sla-
yery by our diplomatic corps generally, and
,ae impression produced by its conduct that
the American people are hive Of fibusters.
Belinger in Sweden, Daniels at Turin, Mason
.. Paris. Sickles and Saunders in England,
and the Ostend Conference, have done more
damage to our national reputation than can
la repaired in the next quarter of a century.
craftsmanship in foreign quarrels, habitual abuse
Of foreign nations, filibustering on foreign soil,
and the impairment and defiant obtrusion of
American Slavery on foreign attention, in the
way of shameless defence or laudation, are not
calculated to make the world love and re-
Spect us.
There was a time, when the people of Europe
cherished the most friendly sentiments towards
the United States, and their Rulers, although
they might dislike, could not contemn u.s. But
there is no concealing the fact, that we have
lost our hold on their affections. They could
understand how Slavery should be tolerated
among us, as an evil, to be got rid of at the
earliest possible period; they cannot under
stand how a Republic can boast of its shame,
glOrify the accused thing, and bend all its en-
ersies to propagate it. They could understand
how young and vigorous nation should seek
br peaceful and honorable means to extend its
empire, but the indecent proclamation by a
Conference abroad of American Ministers, of
that most detestable pretext of all Tyrants
for wholesale spoliation-the plea of necessi-
ty-as a reason for robbing a friendly Power
Of its richest possession--forced upon them the
conviction that the Democracy of the New
World is already emulating the worst vices of
the Despotism OF the Old. And then came
Know Nothingism, with its mummeries and its
caste and its bigoted nationality and its repu-
dation of human brotherhood and mean jeal.
ousy of the immigrant, to sink US to q still
lower point in the worlds judgment.
Let us not deceive ourselves. We have be-
come unpopular, not on account of our Repub,
licanism, not because this country is selfgov-
ernng. not because we are the only free nation
earth, as our demagogues boast, but, be-
cause we have not been true to the mission Of
DemOcracy-because we trample upon Human
Rights at home, and defend the crime abroad
because we sympathize with Despotism--be-
cause We have sent men to represent US at
Foreign Courts, unprincipled, grovelling in
their views, incompetent, and ill-mannered. In
word, we have permitted ourselves to be
grossly misrepresented. The majority of the
American People hate Slavery--hatc Despot-
ism in all its forms-have never been sympa-
ihizers with Russia-never been disposed to
mix themselves up with foreign qaarrels-never
been in the habit of defaming other nations
always have been anxious to maintain peace
and friendly relations with the world, and re-
IL. Ill: +
how can England and France know all this,
when in the majority of our countrymen and
Minister'S abroad they find most offensive ex-
hibitions of precisely the opposite characters
ties
We have been led to these remarks, by the
following statement in the Washington cores
pondeuce of the New York Tribune-a state.
ment which we have good reason to believe
correct
There have been various signs within the
last year, all pointing to positive, though not
admitted, hostility on the part of the French
"oVerrment toward the United States. The
personal difficulty which occurred at Madrid
With Mr.. Soule rankles deeply, and affects the
feelings OF the Empress strongly. This is no
secret about Court, or to Americans who have
access to It's society, any more than that Louis
Napoleon is acted upon by these prejudices,
and now, more than ever, yields to an inhu-
enCe which even his superstition does not re-
si't The effort has been to hold up our pol
icy as grasping, and to enlist combinations
Tor seli-protection. Bnt the most recent end
marked affrout offered to us was on an oc.
cason that had peculiar significance. The
American commission appointed to investi-
cate and examine the military operations and
works connected with the war, upon their re-
turn to Paris, called upon the Minister of
War, NJ. BARRON, for permission to inspect
the improvements under his supervision. This
courtesy, though promised previously, was
niunily refused, upon the ground that the re-
iatons between the two countries were not such
as to warrant it. And when the officers eK.
planned they heard of no cause of interruption,
he persisted, and CURLY closed the interview by
saying, Good bye till the FIRST cannon shot
Unless this sort of indecorous treatment ad-
dressed itself to the favor of somebody who is
potential at Court, it would never have been at
tempted. The Minister knew it might touch a
chord in the bosom which is known to cherish
resentment for the indignity put upon the Duke
ol Alba, and the reflection upon the French
Court, through French Minister, wounded by
French Jacohin. 1t was piquantly said, by
Que who ought TO know, that human nature was
one thing, and French nature another thing.
IN this instance they would seem to be identi-
val and take Burnss advice, and see ourselves
as others see u.s.