The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-25
FRANCE AND THE UNITED STATES

race; to turn his attention to the securing of the
Isthmus Route and the development of Central
American commerce, and thus bring prosperity to
France and ruin to the Northern barbarians, &C.,
&c. The people of the United States are STYLED
throughout the letter ga of brigands," "pi-
rates" &C., and their country "a den of outlaws"
The book acquires some Importance from the fact
that it was issued with the view of manufacturing
public opinion in France against the Government
and the people of the United States, and because
the Government here gives it countenance, indi-
rectly, by allowing it to gain the widest publicity,
since it is known that nothing is allowed to pass the
censorship of the Press which is not Judged to be
fit matter for the public to read. Moreover, the
French journals, in the view they take of the ag-
gressve policy of the Message aid very materially,
among the French people, in propagating and Civ
ing force to the sentiments and assertions of the
'Letter to Napoleon The proceedings in the
Spanish COrtes on the subject of the insult to Spain
contained in the Message, published in the Jour-
mails and lend their aid in the general depreciation
of the United States.
On the other hand, at the diplomatic reception on
New Years Day, at the Palace, the Emperor con
versed an unusually long time with the American
Minister, and showed towards him. | am told the
greatest courtesy. The Presidents Message was re
ferred to, and this gave Mr.. Mason the opportunity
of reiteratng to Napoleon that it was the settled
policy of the United States to act in the acquisition
OF territory exactly upon the principles which had
guided them heretotore-that is to say, that no ter
ritory should be acquired otherwise than honor
ably, by purchase or cessiOn. The Emperor on his
feelings towards the United States and his constant
desire for the preservation Of amicabe relations. This
conduct, when contrasted with that shown bv his
Majesty towards Austria, much remarked by
the diplomatic corps and created positive sensa-
ton. To the Austrian Minister, he said "althouqh
the relations between France and Austria are not
as good as they have been," but no such language
characterised his conversation with the American
Minister His inquiries were made in the tone of a
man already convinced, who wished only to be re-
assured of the truth of his convictions
FOREIGN GOSSIP.
'Nlalakof in his last letter to the New York
Times, says:
The first volume of Mr.. John L. Motley's History
Of the Revolution in the Netherlands in the Six
teenth Century, has been translated into French
and published at Brussels, and has produced there
for its author a veritabe enthusiasm. The work
only needed to pass the delicate ordeal of being
judged by the people whom it more nearly con
cerned, to receive its conservation. This ordeal
has not only been favorable to the author-it has
created astonishment, admiration, enthusiasm
"He has made of his work. says one critic, ''the
most complete the most learned, and the most liv-
ing tableau of the sixteenth century-a drama and
poem at the same time as a monument of erudi-
tion. He has found the art of the historian that
difficult art to attain" GAS for the style of the
book" says the writer, ''it is of an extreme
originality; always poetic, often eloquent occa-
sionally incisive and ironic; we remarked at GER
tain moments inequality. The phrase in gener-
al is imaged."
A late writer on statues and the various modes of
perpetuating the name and the renown of dstin-
guished men, makes the following apostrophe in
the course of his argument:
"LOok at the Americans, who have no taste, but
plenty of good sense; have they any columns? Not
the shade of one But their cities are named
Washington, Lafayette, &c. Is it not great and
beautiful to change the name of man into that OF
a city-that is to say, to make of his name the
name of whole people? Compare your asparagus
columns, oh Athenians of Paris, to an American
country called Pennsylvania p'
A book of NJ Michelet, of the French Academy,
Lore, has been of the occupations of the lit
erary world the last fortnight. NJ. Michelet takes
such high ground in favor of his countrywomen as
models of the wife and mother, that he almost ex
cludes the rest of womankind from fitness fol
these honorable conditions. At the same time he
clothes his book in such language, he gives such
singular form to his reasoning, that even they
whose panegyric he writes must lay down his book
with blush. What think you for example, of al
author who attempts to establish a woman's equali
ty with man by chemical anayzation of hel
muscles, tendons, ligaments and other tissues? II
is simply materialism reduced to vulgarity.
| We shall soon have from the press the last vol
ume OF ThierS' Consulate and the Empire, whicl
will be principally occupied by the Waterloo cam
| paign, and also the second and last volume
Guizots Memoirs. NJ. Viemain is about to pubs
work entitled De y PEnthusiasme des Peoples.
ought to have mentioned in its place that NJ. Guizc
has written long and remarkable preface to th
French edition of the History Of the Netherlond'
! bv Mr.. Motley.
| In work just published by Nadar, the celebrates
photographer and writer. entitled Ghchv in 1880
there occurs a single anecdote on an EngIishma,
imprisoned there for debt. (Clichy is the name o
the Paris prison for debit At the moment of en-
tering the prison, the constabes took from the Eng
lishman his cane, whereupon he fell into violent
rage, reclaiming his cane with oaths and gestures.
which the Frenchmen did not understand. But ii
was against the rule to admit cane, and for want
of knowledge of a little French he imprisoned
against his will and without his valuable stick
There he passed eighteen months, every day yio-
lently reciaiming his cane. by sipns 50 energetic
and persistent that at last to satisfy his mania il
was brought to him. He seized the cane with vio.
lence, unscrewed the handle. Withdrew from il q
roll of bank bills paid over the sum of 35 900 francs
the total of the debt, with interest and costs and
walked away with his cane in his hand
picture was lately exhibited in show-window
of the Rue Latitte, of which the subject was CUR
asser charging the enemy. and which bore at the
bottom the artists name, Louis Napoleon Bona
parte. The picture of an admirable execution, re-
calling the pictures of Gericault in its style, was
painted in the prison of Ham and given by its now