Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-04-21
"FoREIeg RELATIONS. y

uolioes"SelS Ie'te"iu5 ti.e pos lloh Ia WHICH
we stand with respect to foreign Powers and
their attitude towards Us. Thsro is 20 coca
zion for passion Or complaint. Tho nations
of Europe must &c allowed to be the sole
]adges, e.ch for itself, whethor il will hold
diplomatic in:o.cc urse wi'h us, keep corsuis
in oar potts ind receive our consuli il rs-
:arn. Mother you'd it DO st I'll heco,p-
ing in na!ion to DO influenced in liz
so%ioE BIZ mere resentment CT pique,
through The dircspectful conduct Of an in
dividusl, even though "a; individual no,
as L,-d Russell ia, the Foreign Secretary of
ons OF IL chief Powers CT tbs earth
ThoIs Gao be no better p5:nt from which
thsn tins ~ell.wa;gbed words OF the President
II bis last message to the p:esent C;ngress:
Tue occasion seelns not unaui able for
&orc r"f.rsi,ce 10 the rA,st:ons het~etn the
Ca.fido;scy snd he neutral powers Of Eu-
yc,e .inco tho separation OF these States
i;ntn ihU FORMER Union.
Tpue nf these States now members Of the
Confsnia'aay we;p recosn'z,d By raln, g
independent severe gates in treaty ~
pe,ce, concluded III Tho year 1888, With one
If .nr tea graa. ma,;tinc powers Of West
c.r Elcopo, sGd he'd hbun, prior 70 tia!
;.,rird. allies IN war uf tho osacr In the
;e.- l71S shGy formal Union with nine
ether Siates under STITCHES OF Confederation
D,a--ti.God ritn that Union, thee tf ih:in--
Virginia, 5anth C:-u!ira end Georsia-tugeth
wi wi'il ersh. oi the States nuw mehibs-a Of
the GaIted States, seeded frcn IL in 1850
End 'ha-e eleven se':a.:ius States formed
,ccnnG Unio.. although by The terms Of tha
\ cirs If Confederation rXp'GeS provision
vas Iaalr tia. tho first. union sh,ud DO
n-trs,u:l. Their, igG: TO seca,ie not withstand
.nc C;.id p56TiSion, wsB neither contested
9y tho STATES from which they separated,
&c: tras tho suaj sGt Of disCu iaiua With any
:niri rnwe-. 'Wh.u, st a later period, North
.k:cli?. ac1tded 20 that accord uni;n, and
&: b.:: s,il later, the ctn6r seven States
,;yy members; OF this ConfcdrTacy, became
s.sn inemhe.s Of tns sAlns Union, 1t WAS up
~ $40 r-,:nsnsZ ~ footing ii eqnai Aid inde.
usrd,nt $ ,ysrctgniies, nor had u .hon enter.
RI INTO the ,u,ns oi men tina, sovereign
States cou!l TO compelled, by force, 10 re-
main members 81 \ confederation mo which
.tey had catered OF there own fre, will, il,
at subsequent period the ds!nnso Of their
SAFETY aud honor should, in their juGg,m emit,
Justly withdraw. Tie expertnc. of tho
psst la e7incrd the ldtihty Of any renuucls-
,ien Of such inharen: rigb,s, and according
Iy T.. prD9i,i IL f)r pe-p2tuity contained in
.he 4 icles Of Confederation Of 17Ia WAS
or,:t!sd in The Constitution OF lIn9. Whon,
4hsreiyse, il lSCl eleven oil The States ssaIn
though. proper, Tor REASONS satisfactory to
themselves, 10 s;ec cls tYcm tho second Uni3n.
and 20 form n third ono undo, an AMIN led
Constitution. they cXarcired a right Which,
being ;nhereut, required no jas,li :sti1n 10
fo:e,2;! nations, aud which International law
dix not permit them to question. Toe
usagea OF intercourno between nations
do, hoTeyor, require TINT official ccmmunica-
ton be made to friencly poTeys Of all or
gsn;c charges iii the constitution OF 5 A,es,
aud ;hero was obvious pr0p7iety in giving
prompt assurance of our desire to con;nue
am;cabIe relations win all ntnklnd. X YVES
.u1icr the iviluence OF thsse considerations
vks: your predecessors, the provisional GOV
,o,"loent, took early measures for sending l."
Earry: commissioners charged With the du.
ty of visiting the canitols OF the d.farfnt
p3w.rs sro making arrangements for tho
opening CT moro formal diplomatic inter
course.
Weli, our Commissioners havo gwen otiiclsl
conraanication long ago, both to F:Dnca AND
10 Eeg!snd, Of that organic change by winch
NO have abolished, so far Rs ,hesa States are
eoncerned, The Federal sgency st Washington,
aud established another Confederate agency
4, Richmond, through which (snl not other
wise, Y srn hereafter to treat with tneign
Powers. sc HAYS given. long ngo, prompt
sssu-saco Of our dosiro to continue arnlcsoIe
relations. Wc hSse animated, long age, our
Willingness {, open ma,s f,rn;al diplomatic
:n.crccursc with ttc,n through our own at
1hori.:eg WHIT tn=n:? WeGnd, after many
mca,5g, TINT they rake no notice whateve: Of
.7ur aioresa:i communications They stii'
consilsr Us part of the cnenY'a country
They x!l irow ne other government Tor us
thsp the are we have abolished. Wo say to
thcm--Wc a:a willing 20 be bound by all
treaties re mado With you through our for
ncr Gavsrnme they rsply-He do not
want you assurances flr that; We look to
youe .ernmen.-at Washington; NO have
nj the assn RANGES We need from yous Secra.
tary Of State, Mr.. Seward. Il wo ray ws arc
willing to mako treaties with You FOR the 10
turc, tbey repy--Wo know that already; Mi
Lincoln his told us ST.; Mr.. Sswa'd has IN
st.u.;ea Nj, Adams, aad Dir. Dayton, 20 to
.-f L., ufs nG l.
thus st has stood, for more thar Josr.
British "Oonsuls'' in our ports permitted
by ouv courtosy tt rnmaiu Lhefe-ase COM
pialaeh Of by our enemy 3 Secretary of State
a having showr a friendly disposition TO-
wards tie Ocnfedsracy. On tba: complaint
thy fro withdrawn. There is no references
to our Secretary Of State. Lord RGssoll is
net sw.-c OF tho existence Of such gentle
1asn. The whole Of :ha business of our Sec
ret.ry of State is transacted a! Washington
with Mr. Seward aud for anything This Stat
Department has TO do with either our d'p'o
matte representation abroad or tho diplomatic
agents of other nations hore, thst Office nigh
as we'll be locked up.
Then srines the qUesticn--and It is quss
r:ca, which say what We will, must come up
and wAich svefy kour makes more pressing
how long will it become US to ccniou'
"makiug offlsisl communications > Of tn
change these sovereign States have made =
If foreign nations persist in treating us e.il
rs . par. of the United States, and deliberate
" ignoring all that We have done, how lon
viii it become US to acquiesce in that VIEW
SO locg Is England and France CHOOSE to re
gard our Secession and new Coniedora:y 81 &
nullity, are we to refrain from ths full asser