The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-05-22
Policy Of the United States Administration

Imperfect statements of Mr. Faulkner's Gu. ). minis
ter of Franeel interview with Mons ThouveneL French
minister Of foreign affairs relative to the application o.
the commissioner Of the Confederate States, having
found their way into the press the I : department OF
State has consented that the correspondence between
Paris and Washington, concerning this matter, be pup
! lished.
Mr. Faulkner then on the eve of leaving France to
give place to his successor Mr. Dayton writes, on the
18th of April to Mr. Seward giving an account OF an
official and unofficial conversation the writer haa had
with the French minister For this letter we regret
that have not the requisite space IN our columns
It's tenor may however be inferred from that of the
Z. S secretary of State which we publish entire.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, May i, 1861. !
SIR-The dispatches of your predecessor Nos. III,
1l9 and 20 have been received The later acknowl,
cdging the receipt of letter OF recall and announo-
ing his intended return requires no special notce NO
III bears the date of 9Th of April last 1t contains only
an exposition Of Mr.. Faulkners views OF the pohcE
which this government ought to pursue III regard to the
disturbed condition of affairs at home; but at the same
time gives information concerning the state OF
affairs in France. The instructions heretofore trans
mtted to you will show YOU the presidents views on
the subject Mr. Faulkner has discussed ana THESE VIII
be your guide, Notwithstanding any different opinions
your predecessor may have expressed or left on record
at Paris. No. ll9 bears date Of the 18th April last
and contains report of Official conversation, ana
also of unofficial one held between Mr. Faulkner and
NJ. 1houvene. In the former conversation NJ. IhouVe-
mel asked Mr.. Faulkner whether there was not some
diversity of opinion in the cabinet of the president
to the proper mode of meeting the dihculhes which
disturb the relations Of the States and the general
government Mr. Faulkner, in reply said that he had
no information on the subject. The matter Is OF no
great moment yet it is desirable that there he no mis-
apprehension to the true state OF the government IN
the present emergency. You may therefore, recall
that conversation to NJ Thouvenel'S memory, and then
assure him explicitly that there is no difference of opn-
ion between tue president and his constitutional adYIs
ers or among those advisers themselves concerning the
policy that has been pursued, and which IS presented
lrgv' administration inegard to the unhappy disturb
ac6s existing in the country. The path Of executive
duty has thus far been too plainly marked out by stern
necessity to be mistaken, while the sOlcmnlty OF the
great emergency and the responsibility itnvores, have
extinguishcd in the public councils every emotion but
those Of LOYALTY and patriotism It is not in the hands
Of this administration that this government is to come
to an end at all much less for want Of harmony in deVo
ton to country N. Thouv6ncls declaration that the
United States may rest well assured that haSty
precpitate action will be taken the subject of the
apprehendcd application Of the insuwcctioRsts for
recognition of the independence Of the social Confed
crate States is entirely satisfactory although it at
tended BY reservation of views concerning general
principles applicable to cases that need not now be dis
cusscd In the unofficial conversation Mr.. Faulkner
says that he himself expressed the opinion that force
would be rcsorted to to the socalled seeed
ing States into submission to the federal authority, and
that the only solution Of the difficulties would be found
in such notifications of the constitutional compact us
would invite the seeding States back into the Union,
or a pcaceabe acguicscence in the assertion of their
claim to a separate sovereignty The time when these
questions had any pernency or FEASIBILITY has passed
awav. The United States waited patiently while their
authority was decd in turbulent assemblies and insidi
GUS preparations willing hope that mediation offered
on all sides would conciatc and induce the dsaeccd
parties to return TO a better mind. But the cause IS
now altogether changed The insurgents have institu
ted revolution with open fragrant deadly war, to COM
pei the United States TO acquiesce in the dismember
mcnt Of the Union. The United States have accepted
the civil war inevitable necessity The constitu
tional remedies for all the complaints Of the insurgents
are still open to them, and will remain so. But, the
other hand the land and naval forces Of the Union have
been put into activity restore the federal authority
and to save the Union from danger, You cannot be
too decided or too explicit in making known to the
French government that there is not now has there
been, will there be any-the least-idea existing
in this government of suffering dissolution of this
Union to take place in any way whatever. There will
be here only nation and government and there
will be the same republic and the same constitutional
Union that have already survived a dozen national
changes and changes of government i'll almost every
other country These will stand hereafter they are
now objects of human wonder and human Affection
on have the of your departure the elastic
iy of the national spirit the vgOr of the national gov
crnment, and the lavish devotion of the national treas
ures to this great cause Tell NJ ThouvGnel, them with
the highest consideration and good feeling that the
thought Of dissolution of this Union peaceably or by
force has never entered the mind of any candid
statesman here and it is high time that it be dismissed
BY statesmen in Europe
| am, sir, respectfully your obedient servant,
WIN. II. SEW ARD.
To William L. Dayton, Esq, &c, &c, &c.