The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-14
JOHN sLTDELI on SLAVERY.

JOHN sLTDELL on SLAVERY.
A member Of the Foreign Legations IN
Washington just arrived from Europe, re-
lates OF this distinguished rebel a story
which is now widely circulated in this
city.
One Of his cousins, who holds an Of
Gee in the Department Of the Interior, in
France, having been invited 20 one Of Sill.
dells s%0iTeeq, availvd himself of Che op-
poriunity-frst, TO see how a Southern
rebel looked second, TO know his opinion
about Slavery. As II may we'll be mag
ined, the Fren,h official was the object Of
the most delicaIe attention on the part of
Mrs. Slidell and her husband, who strOve
20 persuade him Of the holiness of the
Southern cause, and 10 make him believe
in its ultimate success. After having ex-
hausted all ihrir Arguments, The French
man, politely addressing Mr.. Slidell,
asked whether he was not Of opinion that
the moral attitude of the North in this
contest was an impeachment 10 the success
of the South, and If the maintenance of
Slavery did not delay the work Of inde-
pendence. You are perfectly right
answered Mr.. Slidcll, Europe is adverse
20 our institutions aud we know il. But
please mark they have not been inau-
gurated or created, but Inherited by us.
However, whenever the day marked for
the sacrifice Of our g cial priv ligcs will
come, the slave-Owners il. the South will
do l have no doubt, what your ancestors
did, nearly an age ago, in the National
Assembly of France. They will sacii.
flee them as a necessary Offering to tnri,
country's peace and welfare. But now
this sacrifice is iiupos,ible. IL would
look as an act Of ineiliiiency on the par
Of the South TO maintain its integrity,
and would we ken rather than strengthen
us. BE sure, however, that the time is
not distant when the institution Of slsv-
ery-cause Of our present misery-wil
be toreverremOved from our statute books
The French Government can greatly "a
sist us in this if it acts with its pro.
verbal prudence aad sagacity, il may
place us in the necessity of shortly de.
claring gradual emancipation at home
an act which would be as satisfactory {,
many OF us as to the spirit Of Christian
ity and civilization abroad.
similar reports from England an,
France for some time back lead us so be
lieve in the truth Of the above statement
II was stated as far back as the 1st o
February, That the Confederate Commits
siobers, YAScEY, RosT, aud MANS, hav
proposed in behalf Of their Government
to the British Cabinet to establish grad.
ual emancipation on condition that Grea
Dritain would interiors in their behalI
There can be no doubt that TO secure pc
~litical power by British arms, and In
final independence If the seeded States
JEFF DAvIs,snd other rebel leaders woul,
willingly sacrifice the interests Of th
Shareholders. II will be remembered tina
the Commissioners in their letter TO Lore
RUSSELL, said that Mr. LrNCoLN's AID
ministration was pro.slavery, and had n
claim on the sympaihies Of the anti
slavery men of Great Britain. IT on
Government dallirs and h]esitatcs nue.
longer, the revolted States will be readl
10 do anything TO secure their indepcn
dencc, aud slavery will be wiped out b.
the very men who went to war to pro
tect il. Hon. RoDEET DALE OWEN, in
late letter takes the same view. As APP
pcaranccs now Indicate, there is niue.
more likelihood that the Richmond fac
ton will sacrifice slavery than it will b
done by the Federal Administration.