American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-02-06
4 Singular Proposition In the COnfed-
crate Congress.

Congress, bearing absurdity upon their face
and not calculated to be adopted by tina
body; but, when a measure is proposed,
becomes public property, and the duty de
wolves upon the press TO consider its merit
or dement's, and to adv ocate its adoption, i
approved, or, if disspPrOyed, to urge it's re
lection.
During a temporary absence from our pos
last week, the selection of copy for the paper
dcvolvcI upon an assistant, aud in this way
the preamble and resolutions offered by the
Hon. If. :. Foote got into columns. Be
cause they thus appeared without comment,
We trust that We will not he considered as
approving them, or any others which would
place our government in go ridiculous a po-
sition in the eyes of the world We speak OF
the preamble and resolutions az rhoie, and
not Of each resolution considered independ-
entity OF the other.
The resolutions condensed embrace
Ist. \ recommendation to the President to
Withdraw our Ministers from such of the for
eigu powers As shall not BY the LIST of May
next have recognized orr independence and
The refusal after that date. to allow for
cign consuls TO exercise consular powers in
these states, except under e1equaters granted
by tho Confederate G2gernment.
. The expression Of thank. (although the
word i not used) to the Emperor of the
French. for his effort to induce the govern
ment, of England and Russia to unite with
him in mediation between the two American
powers now engaged in war.
Now, it seems to US, that the proposition
contained ia the frat resolution is judicious
aud proper. We have had minister both
ut the Court Of England and France more
than twelve months. Those ministers have
not yet been recognized in their official ca
racif,. fud Mr. Mason, it Is said, our minis
ter to Euxi 'ud, has not been treated even
with that courtesy which is due to him as a
private gentleman IT would be humiliating
We humbIy believe, IL, after the period named,
oar ministers should be D, united to remain
At Lesion and Paris unnoficet, by those gov
~rnmcat4, and still soliciting in behalf of the
Confederate States, their admis sion into the
society Of pA,ions
4 treaty between the Confederate States
not confer advantages 70 be reaped solely By
our government Those with whom we mi glt
firm such treaties, would be equally benefit
II pith ourselves. II they can dispense with
oar commerce, afford to dispense
with theirs. If they consider it a condcscen-
sion to recognise u.s. self-respect shodld die
tate that should not seek TO be noticed
baF al IL f.
's'rv "a constitute great administration, |
-E"ft climate, productions, POI uiatiou. On !
The field, we have Displayed II prowess of
which any people might we'll he proud and I
The glory which has attended our arms we I
may hand down as legacy to our children
We have thus far fought our enemy without
assistance,frorn any qharter. The neutrality
OF foreign governments has thus far been a
neutrality in favor of our enemy Let us
now cease to ask for recognition. and recall I
our ministers at the time stated and under h
The circumstances contemplated in the first
resolution of Ar. Foote.
We have now n ward To offer in reference
~ the second resolution; and, considering
Ais IN connection with the first we must 4
1t their Singular Inconsistency. In his pre- :
'mble, Mr. Foote, speaking of the DecIars- 5
Ton of Independence promulgated by the {
confederate States, says: They have given |
Conclusive evidence of their ability To main I
ain that declaration by arms" In his re- :
marks, made when offering those res oiutiens. I
ne says: We had given the most complete n
assurance of our ability TO complete our for b
uncs and achieve our independcnce.n b
Now, mark the ridiculous position in which $
re would place US. lie would recall our
because, in his opinion, self-respeet
equlres that we do so, and, in this opinion.
We agree with him. But, because the EN- o
error of the French proposed TO England and u
russia joint mediation for the purpose of u
ringing hostilities to close, we. one of the n
arties now engaged in the war, aud fighting.
ot for conquest but for our existence and o
ur independence, are to say to the Emperor.
We thank you for this interference to stop Il
he tight, and hope you will make another &
Hort with more success Now, with all Il
reference to the opinion of Mr.. Foote, we are b
nchned to think, that self-respect requires rs v
sag no such thing. When we read these Il
solutions, we imagined that we saw two q
trong and powerful men engaged in hand S
o-hsnd fight After the struggle had lasted s.
or some tine. a bystauder, turning to two e
theirs, who were close at hand, proposed to N
hem to aid him in separating the parties. a.
he parties appealed to declined, but one of k
he combatants. hearing what had passed e.
allied out to the individual who had made in
he proposition, and said; al Part US, rand al
here Will be relations of enduring concord Eal
'etween you and me- e.
We believe that we know something about
ne character and the opinions of the people
u TINS oonfederacy We think we know the $
pif'' ~n'eh animates those who compose L
'ur army. We believe that, il the oninions N
Il the people aud the army are consulted and 7
espected, the resolutions of Mr.. Foot. viii, o.
leyer be adopted. 1