, 1861-02-08
FRANCE AND SECESSION.
Tho OEerfureS of the Con4p1r1tor1 to
Louf. fapo1eon--HoW lhey Were Re.
ceIved.
IEnrresnandence of n z I{u,ea
Correspondence Of n, +. Hmes.]
WxBuT4.awo.r Fah 1881

o+t' = 49, ~ ~1&'A*
have obtained, from sources which may be
entirely relied upon for accuracy, ample con-
tirmation OF the rumor current some time ago,
to the effect that the Secesslonlsts had nude
oyeEtures TO the french government with
view OF securing Us ala anu protection ~ their
contemplated treason. appears that early
III August last,a Commissioner IRON Missis-
sippi, and similar agent from South Carolina,
presented themselves the french Court, aud
had several interviews With the Emperor linn
sell, Ill winch they Iatd oelore MN the plan OF
secession, and endeaVored to ootaln promise,
expresss Or Implied, OF recognition by the
French GoVernmen1, ol tue proposed southern
Republic. Aeldasr Louis Napoleon nor Tie Gou-
e'7tnaent. gasx them any encouragement .ahatpe1,
but Indicated hostility to any completely In
the schem me.
The Emperor stated his declded opinion TINT
the Government ol The United states would
not consent to be broken up, and the North
crn States would never assent to the establish
ment Of Southern Conlederacy. The Com
missloneFs replied that inc Free States could
not help III. 1nselves, because the cotton States
would certainly seceds from the Qnion, and
TINT this movement would ruin the Free States
and mike them helpless TO Tcslet the proposed
new Contcdefacy: Louis Napoleon could not
see it In this light, and appears not to have
been able to understand why, the North WIS
to be made SO weak and The South 50 strong
BY secession, the latter should want to COM
mit European Governments IN advance to the
policy sa Of aiding and prof: citing tile Southern
C0nicderacy.
he was then urged 10 promise the desired
recognition IN the event that the Northern
States should consent to the establishment Of
the Southern Contederacy, 70 which the En-
pc1or warily. replied, that when affairs in
AmeElsa reached ths point M indicated, the prop
come matter Tor negotiation. BE still de-
clined to commit himself IN the least in favor
Of the proposition; on the contrary, he de-
ctaTed that nc did not btteae hat any Government
Of EaTop. IN this nl'seeeah century, soontd dare
TO recognize 6oneTn1asat based purely on human
etasxy.
Still the Commissioners urged their suit.
the only conservative portion Of the United
States; that the North was radical; that its ul-
ira Democratic element was constantly en-.
ctoachIug upon, and crushing that class in the
70 the aristocratic eld$ses Of The I'D lEo9d, aud
that the European powers ought to intervene
to protect them. Batting their hook little
more heavily, they intiu1ated that the South
ern people rather inclined towards monarchy,
/ md would Ike prince to rule over them.
This broad hint that a new throze could be had
for Bonapartc took the Emperor greatly By
surprise. and SO startled him that his visitors
| saw the necessity ofexplanation, II they would
| not have him believe they were offering lying
temptations to his -upfdity. They followed It
| up accordingly, by reminding His Majesty that
the South Carolinians we're largely descended
from the Huguenots, and asserting TINT for
this reason they felt warm admiration Of and
affection for France os the mother country, n
&c, &c. But 1t toasof no s4se; the En,p<rpr ga
inooyriqi5le. fortunately, perhaps, for both
France and America, there were certain patri.
otic Union men from the United States in Paris
at the time Of these negotiations, who were
close upon the track Of The secession conspir.
menf ti1eir fa1,s.iea and Hisrenre. e entstions
It Is to be recretted that prudenea forb;ds the
disclosure o1 their uames at fhis tima. thai
thew mirht receiye the ihants FINN thr3,