The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-08
The Attitude OF the French Emperor To-
wards the United States.


bears out our former intelligence from the cap
ital of the French empire,-that il is the inten-
ton Of Louis Napoleon TO break the blockade
Of the Southern coast and to acknowledge the
independence Of the Confederate States. Our
correspondent remarks that England and the
whole Of Europe will follow suit. The Potrie,
the semi-oficiai organ of the Emperor, fore
shadows his policy, as il has always done here
toore. Now that journal says, call statesmen
in Europe acknowledge that the South has an
undoubted right to secede;n and il adds That
1.-THE South can never again enter the Union"
We are further informed that ''the same Journal
notices President Lincolu's Message IN most
hostile and bitter tone" When to this we add
that the President recently refused TO submit to
Congress the correspondence Of the French and
English governments with the American Secre-
tary of State on the subject Of our domestic
troubles on the ground chat il would not be for
the public interest to do so; and when wefnrther
ada that Prince Napolcon the Emperor's cou-
sin and confidential agent, is here now in the
midst of the dog days enduring almost The
heat of purgatory, while secretly taking notes
and ascertaining the relative military and ilnan-
cial strength of the North ard coUh. With view
to report to his H. periai Majesty, there is
abundant reason fer ula'm The Prince has
seen the Northern statesmen at Washington,
has viewed our camps, formed his opinion
about the quality and numbers Of our troops,
and has heard all about the battle of Bull run
from our side. He will probably soon visit
the Southern camps and statesmen, and hear
what the other side has to say about the VIC
tory il has won, and what are It's hopes and
prospects for the future.
1t is extremely probable that England-in
view of the fact that she has something TO lose
on this continent in the event of collision with
| the United States and that the Emperor of the
! French has nothing to lose, If he has not some
| thing to gain by the quarrei-has induced him to
! take the lead in acknowledging the inaepend-
| ence of the revoltcd States and in breaking the
blockade which now closes their principal ports,
! She will, of course, follow in his wake. The
consideration for his thus leading the attack is
| the concession to him of some advantage in
! Europe-perlaps her consent that he shonld
| have the island of Sardinia, upon which he has
| long set covetous eye. England knows that
| Canada would be in imminent danger If she
were the first to provoke hostities at the
hands Of the American people, and, therefore,
| her plan is that France should undertake the
| job for the common benefit. Both want cotton
! and both want free trade from the South, and
from all appearances il is highly probable that
the South will purchase the friendship of both
by proclaiming free trade.
II is stated that immense quantities of cotton
are being bought up at the South by citizens of
France and England, and that Southern mer-
chants are now making large purchases of goods
in the French and English markets, on the
understanding that the blockade is to he broken
this fall. As our correspondent we'll observes,
the sympathy Of the French and English people
with the North is one thing; what their govern
ments, Influenced by the commercial spirit will
do, is quite another thing.
In addition to the interest Of the French mer-
chant and manufacturers in the South in COM
mon with the English trader, the French govern
ment has a special interest in the article of
tobacco. From the import Of this commodity
it derives an enormous revenue by giving a
monopoly of its sale to certain parties whose
agents have been purchasing it in Virginia ever
since the war broke out, just as they did before.
! All know that the people of France like the
people of the other Powers of Europe are so
| heavily taxed that it is almost impossible for
their rulers to add another dollar; and if the
revenue on any important branch of imports
should fail, the government would break down
in their financial affairs and become bankrupt
Tobacco is, therefore, as essential to France as
! cotton is to England. Both articles are alike
needed to prevent revolution in those countries
| The design of the Confederate government is to
say to those European Powers so soon as the
| cotton and tobacco crops Accumulate in the prin-
| cipal depots, 'Your people need these products,
| and they must have them. Without them they
| would make a revolution. Your own revenue i'm
! peratiyely demands their import. We are ready
to sell them oyou ifyou will come and take them
| with your ships. A Northern government, whom
the Southern States no longer acknowledge,
| and who no longer possess shadow of do
| miniou therein, say you shall not get pound
| of cotton or tobacco through our seaports.
| VIII you permit them to prevent you?"
| The French Emperor, consulting the interests
| of France alone, and delighted, in common with
England, to see our great republic broken up,
| will probably lend willing car To this annual