Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-12-22

have been heard through yon in The consul
tatioas of the French government. We
think We can easily see how the iuadEert-
ence occurred. France seems to have mis-
taken a mere casual and ePhemeTal insurrcc-
ton here, such as is incidental in the expert
ence of all nations, because all nations are
merely human societies, such as have some
times happened in the history of France
herself, for a war which has fagrantly sepa-
rated this nation into two existing political
powers which are contending in arms
against each other after the separation.
l. is erroneous, so Tar as foreign powers
are concerned, to suppose that any war e1-
lists In the United States. Certainly there
cannot he two belligerent Powers where
there Is no war. There is here, as there has
always been, one Political Power, name
ly--the United States OF America cOmpe-
tent to make war and peace. and conduct
commerce and alliances with all foreign ma
tiohs. There il none other. either IN fact or
recognized by foreign nations There Is. in
deed, an arm d SeditiOn seeking TO over
throw the government. and the government
is employing military and naval forces 10
repress it. But these fact do not constitute
war presenting two belifgerent powers,
and modifying the national character, rights
and responsibilities. or the character, rights
and responsibilities OF foreign nations It is
true that Instruction may ripen into reFolV-
ton, and that revolution thus ripened may
extinguish previously existing State, CT
divide it into one CT more independent
States, and that il snch States continue their
strife after such division, then there exists
state of war affecting the character, rights
and duties Of all parties concerned. But
this only happens when the resolution has
run its successful course.
c French goVersment say, in the in
struetiOn which has been rendered TO Us,
that certain facts, which it assumes, confer
upon the insurgents of this country, in the
eyes of foreign Powers. all the appea. ances
of government d facts, wherefore, whatever
may be its regrets, the French government
must consider the two contending parties as
employing the forces at their disposal in con-
formiIy with the laws Of war.
This statement assumes not only that the
law OF nations entities ahy iusurrectiOnary
faction, when it establishes de .fdcto govern
ment. 10 be treated as belligeTen:E, but also
that the fact of the attainment of this status
is to be determined by the appearance Of 1t
in the eyes Of foreign nations. II We should
concede bo,h OF these positions, we should
still insist that the existence of De f1c'o gov.
ernmeni, 10 belligerent rights, is net estab-
lished 10 the present Case. We have already
heard from most of the foreign nalious.-
There are only two which seem SO to con-
s.TQe appearances, and France is one of
them. Are the judgments Of these two TO
outweigh those of all other nations? Doubt
less each nation may judge and act for itself,
but it certainly cannot expect the United
States to accept its decision upon q question
vital to their national existence. The Uni
ted States will not refine upon the question
when and how new nations are born out of
existing nations. They are we'll aware that
the rights Of The States involve their duties
and their destinies, and they hold those rights
to be absolute as against all foreign nations
Those rights do not all depend on the ap
pearances which their condition may assume
in the eyes OF foreign natioTs, whether
strangers, friends, neutrals, or even allies.
The United States will maintain and defend
their sovereignty throughout the bounds OF
the republic, and they deem all other nations
bound TO respect that sovereignty until. If
ever, Providence shall consent that it shall
be successfully overthrOwn. Any system of
public law or national morality that couficts
wirh this would resolve society. frs: in this
hemisphere and then in the other. into an
srchy and chaos.
This government is sensible OF the import
snce Of The step il has taken in declining to
hear the Commune ication, the tenor OF which
has drawn ont these explanations. Is be-
lieves, however, that it need rot disturb the
good relations which have so long and so
happily subsisted between the United States
and France.
The paper, as understood. while implying
disposition on the part Of France TO ac-
cord belligerent rights to the insurgents,
does not name, specify, or even indicate one
such belligerent right On the other hand,
the rights which il asserts that France ex-
poets as peutral, from the United States as
belligeren., are even less than this gov
eminent, on the 18th of April, Instructed you
80 concede aud guarantee to her by treaty,
as friend. On that day we offered to her
our adhesion TO the declaration Of Paris,
which contained four prOpositions-viz l.
That privateering shall be abolished. q
That a neutral flag covers enemy's goods
not contraband OF war. 3. That goods of a
neutral, NOT contraband, shall not be conais-
| Gated though iouEd in an enemy's vessel. 4.
That blockades, in order TO be lawful, must
be maintained by competent force. We have
always, when at war, conceded the three las:
Of these rights 10 Deutrals; foTtiorf, we could
not when at pesce deny them to friendly IA
tionE. The first named concession was pro-
posed on the grounds already mentioned. We
are still ready to guarantee these rights by
convention Eith France whenever she shall
authorize either you or her Minister here 10
enter into convention. We hold all citizens
of the United States, loyal or disloyal, alike
included by the law of nations and treaties;
and We hold ourselves bound by the same
obligation to see as far as may be in our
power, that all our citizens whether main
tanning this government or engaged in over
- fEcvo ri ~ Saf