Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-11-29
TIE FRENCH OFFER OF MEDIATION
REPLY nR EARL RUSSELL.

II i
The hestilities have provoked sacrifices
certainly Of nature to inspire the high.
est idea Of the perseverance and energy Of
the two populations. But this spectacle
which does 50 much honor to their cour.
age, is only given at the price of number.
less calamities and a prodigious effusion Of
blood To these results Of civil war,
which, from the very first, assumed vast
proportions, there is still to be added the
apprehension Of servile war, which would
be the eliminating point Of so many ire
parable disasters.
The suffering Of nation, towards which
we have always professed sincere friend
ship, would have suficed to excite the sim
eere solieitRde of the Emperor, even had
we ourselves not suffered by the counter
blow Of these events. Under the influence
Of intimate relations which extensive in
tercOuTse have multiplied between the va
rious regions of the globe, Europe itself
has suffered from the consequences of the
crisis which has dried up one of the most
fruitful sources ofpublie wealth and which
has become, for the great countries of la
Dor, a cause Of most sad trial As you are
aware, when the conflict commenced we
held 1t our duty to observe q most strict
neutrality, in concert with other mara
time powers, and the Washington Cabinet
has repeatedly acknowledged the honorable
manner with which we adhered to that line
Of conduct. The sentiments dictated to us
have undergone no change but of beneV-
olent character. That neutrality, instead
| Of imposing upon the Powers the attitude
which might resemble indifference, ought
rather to make them of service to the two
| parties by helping them out of position
which seems TO have no issue. From the
! commencement Of the war an armed force
was set on foot by the belligerents which,
| since then has been almost constantly kept
up. After so much bloodshed, they are now
in that respect nearly in the same position.
Nothing authorizes the presumption that
more decisive military operations will
! shortly occur according to the last news
received in Europe. The two armies, on
the contrary, were in a condition that
would not allow either party to hope with
in brief delay, for any decided sdvan-
tage to turn the balance and accelerate
the conclusion Of a peace.
All these circumstances, taken together,
point to the opportunity Of an armistice,
to which, moreover, under the present cir
cumstances, no strategical objection can
be made. The favorable dispositions to-
ward peace which is beginning to manifest
themselves in the North as well as the
South might, on the other hand, second
steps that might be made to recommend
the idea Of truce
The Emperor has, therefore, thought that
the occasion has presented itself of Offering
TO the belligerents the support of the good
off oF u D. L
Majesty has charged me TO make the pro-
position Of his Government to her Britain
mic Majesty, as well as to the Court ofRus-
sia. The three Cabinets would exert their
influence at Washington, as well as with
the COnfederates, to obtain an armistice
for six months, during which every act of
war, direct or indirect, should provision
ally cease, on sea, as well as on land, and it
might be, if necessary, ulteriorly pro-
longed.
The overtures, need not say, Sir, would
not imply on our part any judgment on the
origin or issue of the struggle, nor any
pressure upon the negotiations which
might, it is to be hoped, ensue in favor of
an armistice Our task would consist So
lely in smoothing down obstacles, and in |
interfering only in measures determined !
upon by the two parties.
We should not, in fact, believe ourselves |
called upon to decide, but to prepare the
solution Of difficulties which hitherto have
opposed reconciliation between the bellig-
erent parties. Would not moreover, an
agreement between the three Courts re-
spond sufficiently to their intentions
Would it not give to their step the charact-
er Of evident impartiality Acting in con-
cert, they would combine the conditions
best suited to inspire confidence
The Government of tho Emperor by the
tradition Of French policy towards
the United Ststes-England, by the COM
munity of race-Prussia, by the marks of
she has never ceased to show
to the Warrington Cabinet Should the
event not justly the hope of three powers,
and should the order of the struggle over
rule the wisdom Of their councils, the at
tempt would not be less favorable to them.
They would have fulfilled duty of hu-
manity, more especially indicated in a war
which has excited passions which render
all direct negotiation more difficult.
1t is the mission which international law
assigns neutrals at the same time that it
describes to them a strict impartiality, and
they could never make a nobleF use Of their
influence than by endesvoHing to put an
end to a struggle which causes so much
suffering, and compromises such great in
terest throughout the whole world.
Finally, even without immediate re-
suits, these overtures would not be en-
tirely useless, for they might encourage
public opinion to views Of coneiliatiou,
and thus TO hasten the moment when the
return of peace might become possible.
request you, Sir, in the name of his
Majesty, to submit these considerations to
Lord Russell or to Prince Gorchakoff beg
ging him to state the views of the Govern
ment of her Britannia Majesty or the
Court Of Russia. DRoUYE DE EHUYs.
EARL RUssELL's REPLY.
FoREreN OFF1cE, Nov. IA, 1862.
The following dispatch was addressed
by Earl Russell to Earl Cowley, her Majes-
ty's ambassador at Paris:
FOREIGN OFFIcEI Nov Is, 1861.
My Lord-The Count de Flahault came
to the Foreign Office, by appointment, on
Monday, 10th inst, and read to me a dis
patch from NJ. Druyn de LHuys, relating
to the Civil War in North America.
In this dispatch the Minister for For
eign Affairs states that the Emperor has
followed with painful interest the strug-
gle which had now been going on for more
than year on the American continent.
He does justice to the energy and perse-
Verence which have been displayed by
both sides, but he observes that these proofs
Of their courage have been given at the
expense of innumerable calamiies and
immense bloodshed; to these accompani-
ments of the civil conflict is to be added
the apprehension Of servile war, which
would be the climax of so many irreparable
If these calsmities affected America