The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-12-04
The Proposed Mediation.


The letter of the French Minister of
State, NJ. Drown De L'Huys, proposing
to unite with England and Russia in an
offer of mediation to the United States,
has been made public. AS is known, the
offer has been rejected by the other Pow
ers, and, therefore, it possesses to us no
more interest than that of a State docu-
nent which might have assumed mo-
meutous Importance in our history. The
Minister OF State presents his propositions
very frankly He tells US that the EN-
peror is moved to mediate partly by a hu-
name and partly by selfish motive. He
does not like the continued war between
1.-TWO populations ;" his heart is moved by
the great shedding Of blood. Then he
regrets that great source of French
indastry and wealth has been dried up by
the existence Of the blockade. For these
reasons he proposes that there shall be an
arnistice OF six mouths between the Union
and the rebels, and that, In the meantime,
the good Offices cc the maritime Powers
Russia, France and England-would be
rendered to smooth away the difficulties
that now exist between the contendIng
parties. That he is encouraged to sug-
gest, because at the time the offer was
made there was no prospect of any move
ment on the psrt of the antagoDistic
armies, and in their strategic relations
they occupied the, same position that
they did IN the commencement of the war.
The French Minister also thought he saw
signs OF desire for peace In the North
aud South, and he was desirous OF en-
coursging the sentiment.
We see nothing Ia the words of the
French Minister to show any real sympa-
thy with the American Republic. he
neelects the great object for which we
are contending. He only sees in the
American quarrel an effusion Of blood,
which moves the eyes of his majesty to
tears, and .storpage Of tobacco and
cotton which embarresses his revenue
He only asks for six months of a truce.
He does not see THAT these SIX months
eau only be followed by dishonorable
on the part of those who have this war to
fight; intrigue on the part of bad men
here, and in Europe, and the South vast
smuggling operations, in which the factors
of Lyons, aud Liverpool, and Charleston
would become enriched 1t would be the
undoing of all that we have done. 1t
would be to breathe life INTO the expiring
South 1t would enable Mr.. Laird to
complete fe* more prlyateers, and MIR
Mason to replenish the arsenals Of the
Southern Coufederacy. The terms of our
voluutecr enlistmepts would be very soon
over, and before another campaign could
be fought we should have disorganized
army. The rebels would ask no better
support than that Of a six months truce.
They could realize on their cotton,
strengthen their treasury, and by the aid
Of their Northern friends weaken public
sentiment in the North, and endeavor to
prepare the way for dishonorable peace.
We must fight this battle to the end.
We entered the contest with reluctance !;
We had no desire to quarrel-but when
war became the alternative of degradation,
We accepted the bloody gambit, and the
issue is with God To that issue all that
we have is committed. Money, life, blood,
are Us nothing in comparison with our
great design. The six months that Ma
poleon proposes to devote to intrigue and
diplomacy and the preparation Of pro-
tocotS We can ehpfoy IN oettef buS-
iness. We are now moving on to Rich
mond, and in a few weeks we shall ac-
complish by the sword more than the
European powers could accomplish by any
mediation or intervention. 4 little while
longer and all will be we'll We feel that
the end is at hand, and we can shape our
destiny even as we commenced it, without
the fear or the favor of any sovereign
that sits upon a throne.-Pre