The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-02-08
French Criticisms Ola American At
fairs.

One Of the French Journals, lie Constitutional,
the organ Of Louis Napoleon, criticises with some
severity the movements of the small force sent to
Utah last summer. 1t exults over the burning of
few wagons, and laughs at the intervals of space
that were reported to be between several of the
corps CONNIE Dding the expedition. A New York
journal reminds Its French contemporary that 1.-The
march of the expedition across the Plains bears
the same relations to its military operations that
the voyage Of the French army through the Medi.
terranean to Its point Of concentration in the East
did to the siege Of Sebastopol. The several corps
In their voyage from Marseilles or Toulon to Tur.
key were never together or under convoy, because
there was no enemy to attack them. So with the
march across the Plains, where there WAS not on
ly no enemy to attack, but grass to feed the All
imas, unless they went in small and separate par
ties. The official reports show that the expedition
has turned up at tho appointed place of union not
only In good order and with abundant supplies.
but even with materials for building huts and
with stoves and fuel to warm them. In u march
OF Q thousand miles not single mischauce has oc-
surred for want u provision in the commissariat
and only one private contractor has lost his train
because he wished to DO too smart and get to the
appointed place long before the time. We com
mend 10 the French journal perusal of the official
reports from the Utah expedition and not to go of
ut half cock In bis military criticisms"
The disposition of tho Constitutional to pick flaws
In the midst Of the American Army ia attributed
TO letter written By Major General Jesup, Of the
United States Army, and published some months
ago, containing some remarks upon Marshal Vail
ants report Of the operations of the French army
IN the Orimea, In which General J. stated that he
could never understand why the famous campaign
Of the allies against Sebastopol carried on In
direct violation of the fundamental rules OF war
until he perused the report Of the French mar
He then found that the allied forces were com.
PEELED 10 sit down before fortified and partially
besieged city, while there still large army
Ia the field, which was constantly pouring into it
suooors and achievements for the simple reason
that they possessed no means of locomotion; that
Ia fact the number Of animals, for all purposes.
which the French commissarist had assigned to its
army Of 100000 men In the Crimea did not eaual
the number he sent from New Orleans for drauyht
purposes alone to onr army in Mexico, which never
cxceSded 5000 men. From these facts General,
Jesup drew certain deductions, not very compli.
msntsry to the French military, and particularly
its oommissariats.
The tone Of the French journals In treating OF
American affairs, whether military or civil, is not
always - polite as IT might be. Wholesale filli
clustering aeeasations are brought against our
coantrymen, and even the sincerity Of our presi
dent Ia his efforts to enforce neutrality 10 cues.
toned. We do not suppose that the French pres,
ia this represents the spirit and sentiments
Of Louis Napoleon. That wise ruler, knowing well
the indiserstion and impaisivensss Of French Jour
naiisw, does not permit 1t to discass French af
Airs, but allows it to rattle with French garru
ltty upon subjects which can do no harm. The
editors Of Paris may not presume to impeach the
tsisilibiity Of their imperial master and dare not
whisper In their sleep free thought upon their
own government, but they may discuss thu thea
tire, tho opera, and the United States, whose peo-
pie, being In the habit Of saying what they please
body, are perfectly willing to DO peted by
all tho nissiles Of satire and abuse that their enc
mics can manufacture Let Us hope that the two
nations will never get to peltias each other with
anything harder than words.