The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-02-24
NApoLEoN's PLAN OF MEDIATION.


III. Nou yorL Herald. of the 18th instant,
contains an inportant correspondence between the
French Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Day
toD the Yankee representative at the French
Court. and Seward, LiRcoln's Minister OF State
This correspondence opens with letter from
DAYTON to the French Minister OF Foreign Affairs,
M Drouyn DLhuys, In response to some ques-
lions previously asked in relation to the popula-
ton of the Southern States, and the positions OF
the several divisions of the Northern army. In
II the writer attempts to contrast the position OF
afairs at the time the letter was written Nov.
II, 1862 with that Of the year previous, and
argues that the advance of the Union forces into
the territory Of the South has been gradual since
the commencement of the war. Upon this sub
iect he says: ain word, the insurgents do not
now hold a foot of ground which they did not
hold early in the war, while the flag OF the Union
has been constantly advancing, and now hoats
somewhere on the soil or over the Notifications OF
every slave State except one. Their armies have,
in the meantime, been driven from an area OF
country embracing in the aggregate not less than
100000 square miles, and occupied by popula-
ton ranging from 100000 to 2,OOO,OOO OF
people"
The writer then alludes to the relative naval
strength Of the two sections, and says that while
all the incipient efforts the part of the South
to create q navy have been defeated, and her YES
sells destroyed, the navy of the United States has,
within the year, grown from a comparatively
small to very great power, closing all the ports
of the South, precluding, save with Federal con-
sent, all entrance to or exit from them unless by
stealth or accident Two other elements of rela-
tive strength for the continuation Of the
considered in the letter, viz: men and money. Mr.
Dayton says the armies Of the South have been
large beyond example compared with the extent Of
population from which they lave been drawn, and
informs the French Munster that to raise them to
the present standard the conscri pton law has
embraced all between the ages of eighteen and
forty 6ve and thinks there be little force in
reserve to supply the drain consequent upon the
casualties Of var To corroborate this view, the
French Minister is referred to the census Stats
tics Of 1860
Abiding to the emancipation proclamation of
Lincoln, issued i'll September, Dayton says:
"Whoever may have entertained apprchensions of
servile war, such do not suppose for a moment
to have been contemplated 10y the President i'll
foreshudowing his policy" The alluSion to this
proclamation is made to show that slaves hitherto
have been element of strength rather than of
weakness to the South in the pending war
Passing from the question of population, MIR
Dayton proceeds to the consideration of the re!a-
tive monetary element Of strength in war of the
two sections. He has arrived at the conclusion
that while the resources OF. the South in men
practically exhausted, its resources in money must
he equally co. He says he is instruct that the
South, with floating debt OF S4OU,OO0, 600,
represented by paper at discount Of 70 per cent.
have neither raised nor have the means OF raj ing,
revenue equal to $40 ,000,000, in any form or
for any urpose. On the other hand, he is in
st,ucted that the Government of the United
S;ncs has n revenue available in the precious
tails Of than 800 600, while lis
mines are yielding gold more rapidly than foreign
trade withdraws it from the country He
cluIcs BY saying that equality has existed no.
where, except on certain battle fields i'll Virginia,
between the two great armies lie dues not seek
to derreciatc the gsllantry of Southern soldiers,
regarding them as still his countryuen.
In reply to this letter, the Frcuch Minister
says that the Information communicated, and the :
suggestions thrown out: certainly of nature
TO make him appreciate all the resources Of the
Federal Government; and adds, "but it il Honc the
less true that notwithstanding the inequality IF
numbers aud Of financial means, notwI hstanding
l"cal advantages ard partial conquests the CON
'iitons of soil and climate to oppose insup-
erable-obstacles to the progress of the struggle
and that the equal energy Of 10th sides tends to
impress upon it character of indomitable des-
pcration' He is prepared to render homage to
The courage which the Americans, upon the one
side and the other have shown thus far, but says
that this courage even while it excites the adira-
fion of the world, is only calculated to render
more uncertain the result Of the combat and to
retard the termination Of the disasters of this
bloody war. He then refers TO the feelings which
the sad spectacle has given rise to in the French
and the step which profound sympathy for
America has inspired in the Government of the
Emperor, in the hope of opening way to recon-
ciliation
This step, in the opinion of the Emperor ought
and could only be takea with the consent and con-
eurrence of the two beigerent parties He
states that the reception given to the French
proposition by the Cabinets of London and St.
Petersburg, prevents its being pushed further for
the present. The letter concludes by saving
"that if some day the Americans, tired of turning
their valor against themselves, should wish to
have recourse to US, in order to seek in concert
means Of terminating this conflict they would
ind US always ready, associated with other powers
or separately, to aid them with our cooperation
and 70 testify by good offices the feelings
which have not ceased 20 animate France in re-
gard to them. This letter bears date of the 23d
of November, 1862.
The next in the series of letters embraced in this
correspondence are three several communications
from Seward to Dayton. In the first of these he
says 1T is proper for say that neither NJ
Mercicr nor any other person has had authority of
the U.i ed States for presenting to his Gorerr-
ment that the Pr sdont would lie dSp sed to enter
tain any proposition in regard the action of tbs
Govern in the conduct of our domestic affairs
from any foreign quarter whatsoever. The exact
contrary Is in effect all that has ever seed between