, 1862-05-26
FOREIGN INTERVENTION,
Position Of the French GoTeyEm mt.


WASHINGTON, Thnrsday, Nsy q, 1854
Previous to his departure for Europe on the
:s0uh uls-. NJ Geouroy, First secresafy Of Le.
cation. Frenchl communicated to some ct
observations ID Richmond, where he had been
in the company Of Count Mcrcier. Mr.
Gcoffrov was Of opinion that the rebels
may be conquered, may suffer defeat upon de-
feat, but that they will never submit nor be
suedued, He Was particularly struck With, the
1,nanirity Of feeling there respecting the cor
duct Of the WHr. He could not find single
Knan who Tas not for fighting to the last,
rather than surrender. The whole population
suffers the greatest prisations without CON-
plant, every necessary Of life is heavily taxed
struck him Is i anaware Of this state Of thlnss
and seem to conform cheerfally-to their new
position.
Tho repeated representations made to Louis
Napoleon by MI. Dayton, that the inland
trade would be open as soon as the harbor
wonld be in possession Of the National Gov
e1nment, had induced the French Emperor
to verify the truth Of hisstatements, which the
private reports Of the French Cousu1s in the
Southern posts fatty contradicted In conse-
guence he sent II. Aercier TO ascertain which,
Of the American or French representatives
report, was the correct one.
II. Mcrcler had several conversations with
The representatives Of the Confederate States
in Richmond, particularly with Mr.. benjamin.
whom he knew before, aud there acquired the
certainty, which he however had since the be-
ginning Of the war, Of the uuwl1lingness Of
ne u e, southern people to compromise, or to go
although different in form from that Of Mr..
Ge6fIoy, are substantially the same
Ia recent report to the Emperor. Mr..
Mclean, the French Consul at New Orleans,
says that slthough NO trace Of Union feeling
Is visible IN New Orleans, he donots not tllatt
$hoT T10f n$o Ta-- H.
with ylgor aud energy, the consequence Of its
inaction or slowness will be to tire and dis
gust portion OF the population, which
would in such case, willingly return to the
Union. Among all the reports emanating
from thu French Consulatcs in America, t1is
is the ouly one which expresses the hope Of
a partial return Of Union sentiment AL
others positively deny the existence Of such
sentiment in their respective localities,
The cause of the anxiety. which certainly
no real ground, and is rather prospective than
positive It rested upon the uncertainty Of
the Emperor's resolution, after he will hive
heard Of Mr. Mcreicr's report, and after his
conversation with Mr.. GeofIfoy, who has al
rcady reached Paris
TEE official agcnts If France in Washington
have, Of course. their OWL opinion as regards
the decision of Louis Napoleon in the matter.
But Us the object of this note is to mention
facts, and not opinions, I will close my COM
munfcations here.
REVELATIONS FROM THE FRENCH CAPITAL
Correspondence Of the n. T. Times.1
PAINS, May 5, 1862.
The voyage Of NJ, Mercier to Richmond
seems to have forced the French Cabinet into
some sort Of explanations on the subject oi
their sympathics On the American question,
which have found their wa5 into the press.
Thus the Independence Beige states that while
Messrs. De Persigny and Billault sympathize
with the South, M. Thouyeuel declares cate
gorically in favor OF the North. But this
correction in this sense, that in the
cabinet but two men are very decided in
any way, which two are Messrs. Thonvenel
and Walcwski, who are both for the Union
while MessTs- dc Persigny, RoRher and Fould
arc sympathetic with the South, but not tc
the extent OF desiring a recognition SO long as
the opposing armies are in the field. As fo1
IL Bfllault and the other members Of The
cabinet, there is reason to believe that theJ
prefer the maintenance Of the Union.
The Monueur, which, if it leans to any
side at all, leans TO that of the North
is controlled entirely BY the Count WalewsH
Minister Of State. The Constitutional ant
.Fdt7se represent, in general, the opinion;
of NJ de Persigny, in whose bureau the entiri
press, with The exception Of the Mouiteur, il
Of things. To go still further, it should b,
stated that NJ. dc Pcrsigny is half an English
man; that the London Times is almost a
much 8 household god in his house as in tha
Of q yeritab}e John Bull, and that, under tn
circumstances, it is 3 fortunate thing for u
that n. Thouvenel, who is purely French, ,ant
has 30 love whatever for John Bull, is in tn
Foreign Office, instead Of the able and amiabl
Minister Of the Interior, NJ de Persigny. Til
Imperial family, In all its branches, is in favo
of the preservation Of the American Union,
fact which enablcs u Thouvene1 to folio,
out his personal convictions with more free
dom and frnness.