Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-06-15

Since that period tie merchant marine of the Union
has constituted an almost exclusive monopoly in the
hands OF the North and il occasionally slaves are still
behei dsgracirg the seas, the Opinion Natonae y
be that they have been equipped ia the Yankee
ports, which, after hayrg had tn, cruelty to drag
poor negroes from Africa in order t. give them over
merclesy 10 slavery have then the esonery to incite
them TO revolt when they hayc beforehand realised the
price OF their sha meiu traffic
We had no need to examine this side OF the question
for the requirements OF the cause which defend
We have dreamed of placing ourselves in this re-
spect in the attiuie Of either d;ac or defenders
for, with Washiugton persist in believing that the
solution Of this question ia exclusively reserved by the
Cons tuition to the action Of the States th,m,eIves
We have desired aoove all 10 discuss the American
question from the European pyin, OF yiee and partcu.
ary in reference to French interests AID the uulped
advantages which must inevitably result 10 our CON-
and manufactures from direct interchange
between Fr uce ard the Confederation.
We leave the Opinion Nd,i0Ndis full liberty to &C.
cord all sympatnes TO the North and sacrifice h the
interests OF trIdesmen We adopt for our part q
directly opposite for have heart the
trading prosperity and public welfare OF France it for
her that we feel the first concern.
We have faid il, and We repeat in the face Of and
against the Opinion Ndondie and that, perhaps be-
cause our horizon is less limited The Norh il the
OF industrial flaace. The North has made ITSELF hher-
TO- the forced ntefmedary betweei European manufac-
tnTe and the consumption of the Confederate States o.
the South and receiv annually the price Of its
vices, two huadred and fifty millions of france which
deem 1t easy TO throw in great part into the Paris
ke; should France know how 10 profit by The favor
occasion offered her to mouopolze the traffic OF di-
rect exchange between her and tie new Confederation
We have already thrown into relief this side Of the
question, and the Opinion Natonae has, yet, dis
covered no sufficient argument TO modify opinion.
Should Europe refuse TO make treaties of commerce
with the South which will allow the former to pay her
tobacco aud her cotton in manufactured articles the fl
nancia economy Of European trade may fad lis II SEN
iby effected, Tor It will have TO export in coin the nae
hundred millions that constitute the merchautable price
of these products and II we add thereto tie enormous
which periodical bad haryes;s compel 10 send
20 the Ntrth TO buy their grain, should simply sue
coed at Last in exhaustng the vaults Of tie banks of
France and England.
1t is evident that the commercial and industrial inter-
ess Of France seriously involved n this qus-
ton the The Opinion Nato-iae even 10 suspect
But would 1t not be curious il, the after
the adoption by The European Powers Of the principle Of
Intervention, being the only basis of inter-
ratonal law recognition Of the Southern Conteder-
alton should be refused by them and the advantageous
treaties Of commerce which they have just offered
ected purely because OF one OF It's domestic Institutions
Would not this be making the ineri iretaon of the laws
that govern nations dependent upon the latitude in which
the latter find Themselves situate
IT. as the Opinion Rationale desires, the European
powers 10 adhere TO this interpretation Ia ofdeI
20 oe CONSISTENT lhty Would nave 10 suspend all opio
matte and commercial intercourse with Brazil and witt
the Spanish colonies, and have 10 indirectly revive
regards those distant countries, the principle
which, with one common accord they have just con
Damned 70 eternal oblivion.
Placed upon this lcoting which we believe to be the
only true one, because it is the only essentially French
and national one, any other than an affirmative solution
appears most difficult and il is thus, doubt not that
the Opinion Rationale would be compelled to decide il
| 1t were c5lled upon to speak.
To recognise the Southern Confederation, which, rest
ing upon power legally and morally exercised by the
unanimous voice of It's inhabitsnts is government d
faeo regularly constituted and accept for the 10
iustry aud commerce OF France tn, fresh sources
wealth which the free ports Of this new Confederation
about to open to them would tn programme
brilliant enough indeed, t. win al serious nil d.
and all that truly ANXIOUS for the pfosl y Of h
country and reduce to their proper value the theoretcs
clamors Cf the Opinion NdtiondIs.