The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-06-22
Opinions of the French Press ON the
American Crisis

American Crisis.
From An expression Of sympathy with
the anti slavery movement of the North
in times gone by, and leaven of ancis mt
prejudice against the South on account of
the peculiar institution" the French
press has advanced gradually to more
practical examination of the American
question, with the causes and consequ, n
ces of the civil war which has just begun.
We have the opinion of the Cpi,,ione Ma
tionale, for raying that the greater part of
the French press, including the Moniteur,
the Government organ, have rather sneer-
ed at the Government Of the Northern
section Of the United States, and incline
toward the Southern Confsderacy.
The cause assign ID for this feeling by
the Opinione is that tho Southern Confed.
eracy has succeeded in gulling' the Eu
ropean governments with the commercial
inducements it holds out to them. Be
this as it may, the tone of the French
press is very much like that Of the lead
ing English journals, whose leaning is un-
mistakatly hostile to Mr.. Lincoln's war
policy. We have already spoken of the
lNoniteer, on the authority of one of the
bitterest and most unconpron,ising ene-
mios Of The South in France. Let Us pass
on to the consideration of others less dis
tinguished in position, though, it may be-
not less formidable in point Of ability. lie
Constitutional takes up the question of the
war, and after reviewing its necessary dis
astrous consequences, asks, why is there
war? 1t finds no satisfactory answer. The
New York papers are looked into for .
reason, and those SybIline lcayss inform
the philosophic Frenchmen thaf tho war
is a social necessity; it clears the atmos-
phere like q thundes storm" The French
man fails to see a good reason in this; re-
fleets that the liberties of the North arc
not endang, aed, and recalls what Frank
lin told him in the infancy of 'our indie
pendence-that governments rest on the
consent of the governed. He is told fur
tner that the war is not for tho suhjuga-
ton Of the South, or the emancipation Of
the negro, ;and. in his despair at his in-
ability to find good reason for oIr plung-
ing into the most terrible of evils, he con-
cludes We must be fools
The Journal dos Debates equally deplores
the war, which it considers entirely use
less, though the entiae blame is thrown
on the Southern section. 1t draws picture
of the dstresses that will be inevitably
caused in Europe, not only in England,
but in all or most of the principal manu-
featuring continental towns The tone Of
this Journ, is strongly Northern One
extract is worth giving. Speaking of cot
ton, the writer says:
I'VE would have, it is true, the satisfac-
tion of seeing American vanity receive a
severe lesson; but | would like to kew
how that rather unchristian satisfaction
would give bread to millions of famishing
Europe ans, and how it would contribute
to rcsture public peacey'
La Patr7e goes over tho question of the
organization of the Coufederacy of the
United States, discusses the right Of the
various States, aud the extent Of the au-
thority OF the central government; dis
covers that hr. Lincoln must rely for the
sinews of war upon the spontaneous ofIer-
ings of the people, who will soon tire, it is
predicted, oil parting with their money for
such a.purposss, and concludes: /" II. then,
the South, wounded in its interest By the
selfish policy of the North, desires to con-
stitute itself a distinct CONFEDERATION, the
Republican party, of which Mr. Lincoln is
til. representative, has no right to place
any obstacle in the way OF n manifestation
of that sovereign will. In the second place,
Mr.. Lincoln, had he right to act has not
the means. Withou, finances, withou ar
mics, without Admin STRAIT ve concentra-
ton, the Chic Executive. parelyzsd in his
movements, can only make. as he has
said. " pious appeal to the good angels Of
tie Union" and he will learn to his cost
that money-that Is 10 say, good nnan
al oi gan,zatiOn-i Is the sluew OF O. der IS
well as of war
The Gazette des TribunaH confines it.
self to a discussion of the ep, watering
question, in relation 10 which it t.kes oc-
casion to remark: I'VE only feel bound
to state fthat the delivery of letters of
marque by the belligcre mt States of Amer
lea is quite lawful, ard that the various
powers should recognize the validity of
the c. c'mmiss:ons vi n these States will
fuin..h 10 their cruisers"
I he Jyuraak of uavre, a pap Of some
influence among business men, does not
believe the reconstruction of the Union
poss BILE, and quotes NJ Galliarde,' article
in La Presse OF late date, where he
speaks of Mr.. Stewards declaration to pre-
serve the same republic, thu -eas,e con
stitution Cnion, rs a declaration 10 con.
tinue the same causes of conflict The
| Journal concludes that the reconstruction
Of the Union is neither possible nor desi-
rable
The Courier au Havre laughs at what
| it calls the " unusual and even compile. e y
absurd pretension' OF the United States
Government, when it declares that il will
hold no intercourse with any Government
which may recognize the independence of
the Southern COniederacy. The Courier
| scys: We are not going to discuss the
grievances complained OF by the South
we believe them unfounded; but we look
| to the principle, and we say that from the
1 t,..s -
the American confederation believed them.
selves aggrieved by the federal compact,
| they had right to demand the revision
or the annulling Of the contract, &c. The
pretensions os the North are nothing less
than the invoking the principle of Divine
right; but Divine right is too sick in Eu.
rope for us to consent to recognize it in
good health on the other side Of the At.
! iantic."
We refrain from noticing the Pays, the
course of which is notoriously for the
South, and therefore remark is u,fneces
| sary. Some Of the articles in the papers
alluded to are very we'll and forcibly writ.
! ten, and would repay the trouble OF read
ing. We have endeayored to give sim.
| ply an idea OF the tone which peryades
them on the great question which now
| agitetes us; and though our notice o
each has been necessarily brief, We have
given faithful outline of the sentiments
they express.
CorToN DOES AND WILL CoME.-Afew day.
since we noticed the entry at this port o
q cargo of cotton from Florida. TIL,
schooner Commerce, from Apalachicola
entered this morning with another cargo
of this precious product. The rebel flag il
printed at the head of the manifest, ane