, 1862-02-14
FRANCE. AND THE UNITED STATES.
Napoleon's Speech to the Legis-
lature.
THE FRIENDLY OFFICES OF HIS
GOVERNMENT.

--N~ @N'<No
Lyiaa:J, January eth, the Emperor Napo-
leon thus briefly but happily alludcs to his for
cign relations:
Gentlemen Senator's, Gentlemen Deputies:
The year which has just passed, despite GER
tain anxivties, las seen peace consolidated
AL tic rumots purposely propaSgatcd on i'm
aginary prctcnses have fallen to the ground
Of themselves beforc the simple reality Of
facts.
Nv relations with foreign Powers give Me
the fullest satisfaction, and the visits Of sew
crll soycrelgns have contributed still more to
strengthen our bonds OF friendship. The
King Of Prussia, in coming to France, has
eecn able to judge for himself Of our desire
to unite ourselves still closer with 4 people
who are advancing with firm and sure step
towards progress.
I lave recognized the Kingdom OF Italy,
with the firm intention Of contributing, by
sympathctic and disinterestcd advice, to con-
ciliute two causes, the antagonisin of which
disturbs the public mind and conscience every
where.
The civil war which dcsolates America has
seriously compromised our commercial inter
t;sts. Nevertheless, SO long as the rights Of
ncutrals are respected, We must con.ine our
selves to the uttcrance Of wishes that the dis
scnsions may soon terminate.
Our establishment in Cochin China has been
consolidated BY the yalor Of our Soldiers and
tcrprise will find, hope, in those countries,
the reward Of their courageous support The
Annamites make d feeble resistance to our
. power, and We should aot be at war with any
one, il, in Mexico, the proceedings Of an uil-
scrE1Julous government had not Obliged us to
join Spain and England in protecting our fel-
iow-countr rynlcl,, And i'll supprcssing attempts
against humanity and the rights Of nations.
Nothing San arise out Of this conflict Of Il M
turc to Shake confidence III the future.
The balance Of the address is devoted to the
finances of France; but the relations Of the
French Government with the United StateE
arc thus more particularly referred to in tue
report on the ttGcnc1.1 situation Of tue em
plre,'' also laid before the Legislative body:
Tie serious internal complications Which
have taEcn place in the United States haze 10
distarlsd {aitere,) the cordially Of orr relation
9clh thet country. 1t WAS impossible, however
that the conflict, tue outbreak Of which We be
held with 1,aln, should not Interfere, wl:c.1 j
assumed SO l.rf,c proportions, with our or
dinary transactions with the United States
and that it should not affect, to a certain
extent, the security Of our commerce.
The government Of the Emperor, has, there
! fore, had to take into serious consideration
sronl the very fact, these inevitable conseqncn
ces Of the American crisis It could not hesitat
:sto the Attitudce Which circumstances mad
; imperative. Having, on the other hand tho dut
. Of seeing the interests placed under its pTotce
tion should suffer ae little as possible frou
the struggle which was going On, deslrous, o
1l,c other hand, 10 show its respect for the il
tcrnal rights and Independence OF anothe
country, it could only pursue one line Of po!
icy to attain the double object it lad in yies
the strict observance OF neutrality Conse
> quent1y, whilst maintaining wishes for til
: maintenance Of the American Union on thos
conditions Which had until very recently Al
peared best calculated to secure its prosper
ify; whilst being disposed, if it were solicit
cd to do SO, to contribute by its goo
Offices to put IN end 10 q dcplorabl
struggle, it hastencd, on the one hand, to RI
: mind its subjects Of TIC duties imposed upo
them hy that neutrality, the benefit Of wllic
it {the imperial goyernment) claimed in thei
+ behalf, and, on the other, to lay down til
, principles which it expected the 6ellisercnt
:. to respect. We havc obtained in this latte
respect satisfactory declarations and, if it -di
to do away with i'll the embarrassment
which stale Of war Oh any part Of the glot
c always involves, the principles tho app1icatio
d of which the belligerents hare admitted, wi
at least hare tue effect Of preventing thosc il
juries Which must otherwise hayc ;ags aggssrayate
= state Of things.
u Touching tho case Of the Trent, the III,
y book says:
4ut l1nIlsItH government u1s aclcd Ill CO.
G formity with those SAINT views and sentiment
with respect to the incident, which for tin
gave reason to appschcnd still more sesiot
disturbance Of the peace Of the world. Faitl
fu1 10 its political friendships, as we
r us to the traditions of Franco, Il
: : Government thought itself bound to cxprcs
: officially, but frankly, its opinion in d
G act which appeared to place in question IL
, rights and guarantees justly claimed by ne
trails, and which at the same time migl
= bring about a collision between Gre
f. Britain and the United States. Will
cong1atulating ourselves, In the into
est Of all part!es, orl the setlcmc1
+ which has taken place, We arc, as far as =
!; ourselves are concerned, happy at the asse1
4 with which our opinion has been I
+ ceircd in all quarters, and ut the feeling whit
n the step we had taken has called forth both
y: Washington and London.