The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-03-22
9ittmuno pispatfb.
The CsArss sf Re gland and France.

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The Cs&rss 81 Ersland and France.
Since it became evident at late period that
the Governments of Great Britain and France
had no earthly intention Of interfering in the
American quarrel, the question often suggests
| itself why the Southern Contederacy was
DO long permitted to remain In doubt on that
subject, and actually to receive encourage.
ment of the idea that her Independence would
be ultimately recognized by those Govern.
ments. We are aware that the Emperor of
the French, with that sagaeity and decision
which have placed him at the head of living
European statesmen, has repeatedly urged the
English Government to unite with France in
opening the blockade, but his overtures
have been declined, until finally both nations,
which act of late in concert upon all matters
OF common interest, in both hemispheres,
have given us to understand, through the ex-
ecutive addresses of their respective Chiefs,
that they intend to take no part in this quarrel
It would have been more just and moro
humane if they had swhoritatively and ex-
plfcitlt made this declaration at the fret,
wording it in auch language that by no possi-
ble misconstruction it Gould be tortured to
mean anything but what it said. Nay, it
would have been better for the South and
more humane, u, as soon as 1t was heard abroad
that the Southern Confsde+scy had declared
its independence, England and France had
both accepted the Federal theory of the Con-
NJ ov,I a., I, q
ern movement was rebellion to which they
could give no more cOuntenance, aid, and
comfort; III any way, than to a rebellion in
Canada. Algiers, or in any Of the other recog-
nized provinces or possessions ofany European
power. If they had taken this ground, the
South would have expected nothing at theft
hands, aud relying upon herself from Che
start, would have redoubled her energies.-
But, instead of this, they began by assuming
the Federal theory to be wrong, and the
State. Rights theory to be true, as they are;
their journals produced powerful arguments to
establish this proposition; their Governments
acknowledged the South to be a belliger.
ent power, aud entitled, as such, to equal
respect at the hands of other nations with
the North, which they would never have
done in the CASE of mere rebellious pro.
vince. The indications of an approaching
aekno owleJgmsnt of Southern independence
were go numerous that, not only the South, but
the North, and the Federal Government, were
fully Satisfied of a foregone conclusion in this
minds of the Western Powers to interfere ON
the side of the South. The whole Northern
press was unanimous in the expression of this
sentiment, and the Federal Government, by
It's appropriation of seven millions for coast
Notifications, showed its conviction of the
same apparently inevitable result. The
United States correspondents abroad Of FEEDER
al newspapers bore continued and emphatic
testimony to the same effect, and the United
States ministers found their residences at the
various courts of Europe SO uncomfortable on
account of the general hostility to their coun.
try, that they were all anxious to return home.
All this was the natural result of the moral
aid and comfort which, from the very begin
ming, England and France had thrown into
che Southern scale, and which warranted the
belief that the physical aid and comfort would
not be far behind. The English press manu-
factures public opinion for England and some
times for Europe, and the press had steadily
prepared the public mind of the world for the
ultimate recognition of Southern Indepen.
dence.
At late hour of the day, and before the in
telligence of eur late disasters had reached
Europe, the speech Of the Queen and the ad-
dress OF. the French Emperor suddenly and
effectually put an extinguisher upon every ex-
pectation of that event, which the whole &C.
ton of their Governments, and the public
sentiment of their people, had warranted all
mankind in anticipating 1t is unnecessary to
say that the North was delighted with this IN
looked for blessing, and the South for time
saddened and depressed. The transient gloom,
however, has passed away, and she is begin
ming to realize that "who would be free, them.
selves must strike the blow" She looks abroad
no longer for aid OF alliance, but she may at
least be permitted to wonder why her hopes
have been aroused only to be disappointed
So far as France is conc erned, the South has
no peculiar cause Of complaint Her polite
and wary ruler has not led the way
publicly in holding out encouragement to the
Southern movement, however hs may have
aought privately to enlist English CO operation
with France in its favor. Nor has France at
any time intermeddlsd with American con-
Germs, nor in any way exerted her influence in
alternating the Northerh and Southern States
of the old American Union from each other
French emissaries have never come to this
continent for the purpose of setting the North
| and the South by the ears on the subject oi
slavery; there has been no Exeter Hall in
Paris there have been no Dukes and Ducheesel
to patronizs runaway negroes. When Mrs
Stowe visited that city, instead Of the ovation
she received in England, she produced no sen
sation. Great Brita1 on the contrary, ha,
been the great Abolition power of the world
She has been the "Genius of Universal Eman
cipation." There 10 no proposition in mathe
matics which can be moro c)esrly dsmonstra
ted than that, for more than quarter Of q
century, England has employed the SLAYER,
subject to divide and ruin her commercial snd
manufacturing rival, the old United States O
America. 1t was through her influence tha
the fame Of Abolition fanaticism was kindls,
In New England, which at last burned asuu
der the cords ofths former Union, and are nov
enveloping the whole land in their lu;i id blaze
Having accomplished this result, it was natu
raj to suppose that she would prepare to real
the fruits of her policy, and these fruits, ",
supposed, consisted in the acquisition Of South
erp staples and commerce, in her independenc
of the Uuited States, and the overthrow Q
that power "a commercial and manufactuu
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