Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-12-02
cided advantage to turn the balance and accel
crate the conclusion of peace,

AzHaI -
70 tLe opportunity Of an armistice, to which,
moreover, under the present circumstances. no
sIateeical objection can be made The favor.
aoie dispositions toward peace which Ia begin
ming to manifest themselves In the North aa 2 ali
as the south might, on the other hand. second
steps that might be made to recommend The
Idea Of peace. WV
The Emperor has, therefore, thought that
the occasion has presented itself of.offerine to
tne 6elligerents the support Of the good offices
OF the maritimc Powers, and his Majesty has
charged me to make the proposition of his Gov
eLnment 70 her Britannia Majesty, as well as to
tne Court OF Russia. The three Cabinets
u wouiu exert their influence at Washington, as
well as with the Confederates. to obfsin an
armistice for six month"; during which every
act OF war, direct or indirect, should proviaion.
ally cease, on sea, az well as on land. and II
might be, II necessary, ulteriorly prolonged.
The oVertures, need not say, Sir, wonld not
imply on our part any judgment on the origin
OF issue OF the struggle, nor any pressure upon
tne negotiations which might, II is to be hoped.
ensue 10 favor OF an armistice. Our task would
consist solely 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 solu-
ton OF diticulties-whicb hitherto have opposed
reconciliation between the belIigerent parties.
Woeiu NOT, moreover, an agreement between
.ne tnree Courts respond sufficiently to their
in'eniions1 Would 1t not give to their step the
character OF evident impartiality2 Acting in
concert' they would combine the conditions best
suited to inspire confidence.
Inc government OF the Emperor, by the con.
ssane Usoluon OF French policy toward the
United otstes-Engand, by the community of
has never ceased to show to the Washipoton
Cabinet. Should the event mot ;ust;fv tha
hope OF the three powers, and should The order of
the struggle override the wisdom of their coun.
Gus, the attempt would not be less favorable to
them. o''' w
tney would have fulfilled duty Of humanity,
more especially indicated in O war which has
excited passions which render all direct nepo-
uatlon more difficult. 1t is the mission which
in'ernatlonai law assigns neutrals at the same
ume 'hat IL describes to them strict impartl-
ahty' and they could never make O nobler use
Oh thelr influence than by endeayoripp to mt
Oh END to struggle which causes so much
suffering and compromises such great interest
throughout the whole world.
rinaliy, even withoutimmediate results. these
oVertures would not be entirely useless, for
tney might encourage public opinion to views
ot ooncl'iation, aud thus to hasten the NONE ent
Wnen the return OF peace might become posi-
BILE. pO'''
lrequest you, Sir, in the name Of his Maies-
ty, 70 submit these considerations to Lord Rus
sell or 10 FRINGE Gofchakoff, begging him TO
state 'ne views Of the Governments of her
Britannia Majesty or the Court Of Russia.
DROUYN DE L'HUYs.
! EARL RUssELL's REPLY.
The following dispatch was addressed h,
EAR EaiI Russell to Earl Cowley, her Majesty
-- FOREIGN OFFICE, Nov. l3, 1862.
My Lord-The Count de Flahault came Ia
the Foreign Office, by appointment, On Mon.
day, 10Th inst., and read to me lspatch from
NJ Pfuyn de L'Huys, relating to the Civil Wal
in America.
In this dispatch the Minister for Foreign
Affairs states that the Emperor has follow e
with painful interest the struggle which hat
now Deen going on for mere than year on th,
American continent He does Justice to th,
energy and perseverance which have been dis
played on both sides, but he observes that these
proofs OF their courage have been given at ar
expense OF innumerable cslamities aud i'm.
mense oioodshed; to these accomplishments oil
civil connict 10 TO be added the apprehension oil
servile war, which would be the climax of "a
many irreparable misfortunes.
1t these calamitles affected America onlv,
these sutferings of friendly nation would he
enough to excite the anxiety and sympathv OF
the Emperor; but Europe also has euffered In
one OF the principal branches of her industry
and her artisans have been subjected to mos
cruel trials. France and the maritime Powers
naVe' during the struggle, maintained the strict.
est neutrality; but the sentiment by which they
are animated, far from imposing on them any.
tning ike indifference, seems, on the con.
trary, 10 require that they should assist the two
beligerens parties In an endeayor to esoape
from position which appears to have no issue
The forces Of the two eides have hitherto
fought with balanced success, and the latest ac
counts do not show any prospect of speed,
termination Of the war.
Theee circumstances, taken together, woul,
seem to favor the adoption Of measures Whicl
night bring about truce. The Emperor o
the French, therefore, is Of the opinion tha
there is now an opportunity of Offering to th,
!, belligerents the good Offices of the msriti m
Powers. He therefore proposes to her Msiesty
: as well as to the Emperor Of Russia, that th
three Courts should endeavor both at Washing
ton, and In communication with the Confederat
states, to bring about suspension Of hostilitie
for six months, during which every act of hosti
ity, direct or indirect, should cease, at sea a
well as on land. This armistice might, If nc
cessary, be renewed for further perond.
This proposal, Drouyn de L'Huys proceeds {
say, would not imply on the part Of the thre
Powers any Judgment on the origin of the wal
or any pressure on the negotiations for peace
which it is hoped would take place during th
srmistice. The three Powers would only il
teriere to smooth the obstacles, and only will
In the limits which the two interested partie
would prescribe.
Inc French Government is of the opnio
that even In the event of failure of immed
ate success, these Overtures might be useful i
leading the minds of men now heated by pas
sion TO consider the advantages of concillatIo
and peace
Such Is in substance the proposal of the Go,
ernment OF the Emperor of the French, an
l need harily say that IL has attracted the 8.
rious attention Of her Msjesty's Government :
Her Majesty is desirous Of acting in concu,
renee with France upon the great question
now sgitating the world, and upon none NOR
than on the contingencies connected with th
great struggle now going on In North Americs
Neither her Majesty, the Queen, nor til
British nation will ever forges the noble an
emphatic manner 10 which the Emperor of tb
French vindlcated the lave of nations, and al
sisted the cause of peace in the instance of th
seizure OF the Confederate Commissioners O
, board the Trent. Her Msjesty's Governmer
, recognizes with pleasure the design of srres
Ing the progress Of the war by friendly measure
ri the benevolent Views and humane intentions