The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-12-20

to this Government. 1ney Will, douD'
less, mention this answer TO their respec
tive States.
/ / give you now the reasons of this Go,
eminent for pursuing this course in n
gard to the dispatch from France, tha
you may communicate them to the Frenc
Government, if you shall find it neces
sary or expedient.
Some time ago we learned through GU
legation at st. Petersburg that an under
standing had been effected between tb
Governments of Great Britain and France
that they should take one and the sam
course on the subject of the political dis
turbances in this country, including In,
possible recognition of the insurgents
AT later period this understanding wa
distinctly avowed by Mr.. Thouyenel tt
Mr.. Sanford, who had been informally In
troduced by me to the French Minister
for Foreign Affairs, and by Lord john
Russell to Mr.. Dallas, our late Minister
i'm London. The avowal in each case pre-
coded the arrival Of our newly appointed
/ Ministers in Europe, with their instruc,
tons for the discharge of their respective
Missions,
On receiving their avowals ] immediate
ly Instructed yourself and Mr.. Adams
s.that although we might have expected
"a different course on the part of these two
great Powers, yet, as the fact that an un'
Outstanding existed between them did not
certainly imply an unfriendly spirit, we
should not complain of it, but that it
must be understood by the French and
British Governments that we shall deal
hereafter, AS heretofore, in this case, as in
all others, with great Powers separately,
and that the agreement for concerted ac-
| ton between them would not at all infu-
ence the course we should pursue" The
concert thus avowed has been carried out.
The Ministers came to me together the
instructions proposed to me differ in
form, but are countcparts in effect.
Adherring to our previous decision,
which before this time has doubtless been
made known to theGoNrnment of France,
we do not make this concert, under the
circumstances, reason for declining to
hear the instruction with which Mr.. Mer-
cier is charged
That paper does not expressly deny the
sovereignty Of the United States of Amer
lea, but it does assume, inconsistency
with that sovereignty, that the United
States are not altogether and for all pur-
poses one sovereign Power, but that this
nation consists of two parties, of which
this Government is one. France propos-
es to take cognizance of both parties as
belligerents, and for some purposes to held
communication with each. The instruc-
ton would advise MS indeed that we must
not be surprised if France shall address
herself to Government which she says
is to be installed at Montgomery, for Ger.
tain explanations. The intimation is con-
elusive in determining this Government,
not to allow the instruction to be read
TO it.
The United States, rightly jealous, as
we think, of their sovereignty, canno
suffer themselves to debate any abrigd
ment Of that sovereignty with France o
with any other nation. Much less can i
consent that France shall announce to i
conclusion of her own against that SOW
ereignty, which conclusion France la.
adopted without any previous conference
with the United States on the subject
This Government insists that the Unitet
States are one whole undivided nation
especially SO far as foreign nations are con
cerncd, and that France is, by the law 0
nations and by treaties, not a neutra
1 Power between two imaginary partie
here, but friend of the United States.
In the spirit of this understanding o
the case, we are not only wishing to seel
not to give of|ense to- France, but, on TIA,
contrary, We desire to preserve peace ant
friendship with that great Power, as Will
all other nations. We do not feel at lib
erty> to think, and do not think, tina
France intended any want Of considera
ton toward the Uuited States in directin,
/ the instructions in question should be reat
to US. Outside of that paper we hay,
abundant evidence o. good feeling ant
good wishes of the Emperor, and even hi,
anxious solcitude for the same consum
nation which is the supreme object O
our own desires and labors, namely, tn
preservation of the American Union in it
full and absolute integrity.
Doubtless the proceeding has been tn,
result of inadvertence. We feel ourselves
at liberty to think that it would not hay,
occurred if VIC had been so fortunate as t,
have been heard through you in the con
situations of the French Governments
We think We can easily see how the mad
vertence occurred. France seems to hay,
mistaken u mere casual and ephemeral in
surrection here, such as is incidental j,
the experience of all nations, because al
nations are merely human societies. sucl
as have sometimes happened in the his
tory of France. herself, for war which
has fagrantly separated this nation int
two co-existing political powers which ar,
contending in arms against each othe