The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1861-12-20

Our Foreign Rela9lons..Rapsrs Accom-.
panying the Presidents 1essage.
The papers relating to foreign affairs, ac-
companying the Presidents Message, cover
four hundred and twenty-five pages. Thsy
disclose the important fact that our Gov
ernment now occupies the same position
that it held in reference to foreign govern
ments at the beginning Of the rebellion,
and that though the United States early
offered to accept the Paris declaration in
reference to privateering, both England and
France desired to make an exception in
favor of the JEFF. Davis Confederacy, to
which the Government has refused to yield,
leaving the United States free from any
obligation to accept the Paris declaration,
while the few rebel privateers are now fu-
gitive on the high seas, or are lying idle in
Southern harbors. A resume of the docu.
ments shows the following to be our rela-
tions with foreign nations.
England entertains, or at least expresses
no sympathy for us, but rather the reverse.
France has not been cordial, but has
been less offensive than England.
Austria has been friendly, and from the
outset has declared that she would not re.
cognize the rebel Confederacy.
Prussia and all the German States have
been equally cordial.
Russia has been friendly, but anxious for
the war to end.
Sweden and Norway have been friendly
from the beginning.
Belgium is undecided, but passive.
Holland is disposed to follow the lead of
England at respectful distance.
Italy isl full Of warm sympathy for our
Government and for freedom.
Spain, though not aggressive, has an evil
dent leaning towards the JEFF. Davis Re-
public.
Denmark is friendly.
The Pope, though he announces that bis
Government is not of this world, but that
he is concerned with spiritual things, yet if
he were to express an opinion, he, as
Christian will always be on the side of law
and order.
We give below abstracts of the cores
pendence of the Secretary of State and our
Ministers to England and France, as being
of more general interest than that relating
to any other nations:
OUR RELATIONS WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
Secretary Seward writes to MIR. Adams,
our Minister to Great Britain. In the
course of his instructions he says:
The President neither looks for nor appre-
hends any actual and permanent dismember.
ment of the American Union, especially by a
| line of latitude. The Improvement of our ma
ny channels of intercourse, and the perfection
| of our system of internal exchanges, and the
| incorporation of both OF them into great syS.
| tenn of foreign commerce, concurring with the
gradual abatement of the force OF the only
existing cause of alienation, have carried US
Salready beyond the dangers of division in that
! form, The socaled Confederate States, there.
fore, in the opinion OF the PRESIDENT, are at
| tempting what will prove physical impossi.
bility, necessarily they build the structure of
| their new government upon the same principle
| by which they seek to destroy the Union, viz !:
| the right of each individual member of the
| COnfederacy to withdraw from it at pleasure
| and in peace.
In another part the Secretary says
In short, all your arguments must belong to
one of three classes, viz: First, arguments
| drawn from the principles of public law and
natural justice, which regulate the intercourse
| of equal States; secondly, arguments which
| concern equally the honor, welfare and happi-
| ness of the disc Ontented States, and the honor,
| welfare and happiness of the whole Union
| thirdly, arguments which are equally cOnser-
vative of the rights and interests, and even
sentiments of the United States, and just in
their bearings upon the rights, interests and
| sentiments of Great Britain and all other ma
| tions.
And again Mr.. Seward says
The President would regard it IS inconsis.
| tent with his habitually high consideration for
| the Government and people of Great Britein to
| allow me to dwell longer on the merely COM
mercial aspects of the question ander discus.
| sion. Indeed he will not for a moment believe
that upon the consideration of merely financial
| lend its aid to revolution designed to over
throw the institutions of this country, and in.
volving ultimately the destruction of the liber-
| ties of the American people.
| The President will not dwell on the pleasing
recollection that Great Britain not year ago
manifested by marked attention to the United
| States, her desire for cordial reunion, which,
| all ancient prejudices and passions being
| buried, should be pledge of mutual interest
| and sympathy forever thereafter. The United
| States are not Indifferent to the circumstances
of common descent, language, customs, senti-
| ments, and religion, which recommend a closer
sympathy between themselves and Great
Britain than either might expect in its inter.
course with any other nation. The United
States are one of many nations which have
sprung from Great Britain herself. Other such
nations are rising up in various parts of the
globe. 1t has been thought by many who
! have studied the philosophy of modern hi tory
profoundly, that the success of the nation thus
deriving their descent from Great Britain,
| might, through many ages, reflect back upon
that kingdom the proper glOries Of its own
great career. The Government and people of
Great Britain may mistake their commercial
| interests hnt thpv cannot heCOmo either un.