The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-02-03
The French MssiAents OF New Or.
leans Preparfug - leave.

The resolutions Of the French citizens
of New Orleans to appeal to the protec-
ton Of their flag for safe conduct out
Of the Confederacy and back to Ella Belle
France, is significant of the waning con-
fdcnce in the integrity of JEFF. Davis
bogus Government. A gentleman fnr-
nishes the New York Herald some inter
esting facts in connection with this move
ment. He says:
By the French residents your readers
must not understand the creole population,
who are indigenous. but that large and
very respectable floating class Of French
men who come from France to New Or
leans to deal in cotton and other commo-
rlities suited 10 the European market -
These individuals come. with their wives
and families, to spend three, five or ten
| years, according to circumstances, and al
ways returning to their own country after
acquiring a competency They form All
active and intelligent class Of business
men. They are largely backed by capital
on the other side, and add much in
good times, to the life and hustle and ne
tivity of the Crescent City. Now, this
class have suffered severely from the utter
stagnatien in affairs, caused by the block
ade of the Mississippi. In fact they haye
had literally nothing to do. Besides,
they were cut off from communication
with home. aud have been put TO their
wits ends to know what:.cour to take -
4 majority desired to leave New Orleans
in the summer; but the citizens were 80
confident that the blockade would be
raised in October that they would not per-
nit the question to be argued. It was
'tcrrtain, = and anybody WIN doubted it
was an enemy 10 the Confederate States
of Americs. They succeeded in induc-
| ing similar belief in the minds OF the
| Frenehmen--Het without some misgis-
ings, which, however, it was not prudent
to utter Well, October passed and No
yember came. The inhabitants had given
the matter up The blockade was nat til
be raised, and the French families were
preparing to leave, when the Mason and
Slidell seizu filed the whole South with
JOY. The French were puzzled. What
was to be doncy They took very COM
mon sense course. They sent one OF their
number to Washington 10 solicit an inter-
vew with Monsieur Mercier, and to get
from the Minister whatever information
he chose to afford The individual SCI
iected Tor the mission reached Washing
ton the day after Mr., Seward's COMMUNE
cation to Lord Lyons that Mason and Sill
dell would be given up. He called on
Monsieur Mercicr, stated The exact situa-
ton Of the French residents in New Or
leans and the embarrassmsnts they labor
@ under, growing out of the douh, and
) uncertainty about the question of block
ade, and asking for some light on the sub
ject. The Minister replied, without the
least reserye--"sFrance will not interfere
; with the blockade In order to got cotton.
She will not interfere unless eas should
!, arise which should justify an interference.
III England had in the seizure Of Mason
+ and Slidell, but that il now happily set.
tied.
: The Frenchman had achieved the oh.
Q ject of his mission, aud made the best o.
his way back to AeY nrleaps. The meat
1t ing held ON The feth explains the rest.