Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-12-17
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS.

We are sure that no feature of the Presidents
Message can have brought more satisfaction 10
readers in the Loyal States than the very gratifying
account il gives of our relations with foreign row.
ers. We are reminded by an intelligent contem-
porary that it would be hard to ind one OF the
seventy-odd annual messages which have peen
transmitted to Congress that did not make men
ton of some difficulty of some kind with some for
eiru Power; and in majority Of them such diff
culdcs formed one of the most important themes
But we look in vain through the present document
for the slightest token of any difference with any
foreign State The distinction is remarkable enough
itself. But, our contemporary adds, 1t Is
much more SO when the fact is noted that here
tofore nothing has been SO prolific OF information
al trouble as the relations of neutrals to bellige
rents The very time when it would be natural
ly anticipated that we should have the most Sc
rious controversies with other nations and espe-
cially commercial nations, Is the very time when
{ our National Executive has nothing to complain
Of and most decidedly testi6es to universal fair
dealing This certainly bespeaks very wise man
fagement of our State Department"
Nor are we compelled to look alone to our own
official expostions for this satisfactory state
mept of our relations with foreign Governments.
When the President says that the efforts OF dis
loya citizens of the United States to involve us IN
foreign wars /" have been unavaiiing," we can ind
ample confirmation Of the fact in the disappolnt-
melts confessed under this head by Gen. Jefferson
Davis In his recent message to the Confederate
Congress-, the substantial portions OF which may
be found in another part of todays lntelligencer.
It will be seen that he reports with "regret"-we
quote his own text-that g there has been no I'M
sprovement in the state of our relations with ior
feigu countries since my message In January last.
On the contrary, there has been still greater
DIVERGENCE in the conduct of European nations
from that practical impartiality which alone de-
serves the name of neutrality, and their action,
in some cases, has assumed character positively
sunfriendly" Gen. Davis then proceeds to make
"full statement" Of what he calls the "just
grounds which exist for dissatisfaction with the
conduct of the British Government" and laments
that the Southern Confederacy is unfortunately
without adequate remedy for this "inj Justice" at a
iuncture when its entire energies are absorbed in
the struggle against an enemy possesse of greatly
superior numbers and material resources. The ne
cesssry implication is, that if the powers OF the
Confederacy were adequate to the undertaking, and
were not at present overtaxed by the war already on
Its hands, there would be ample cause to seek arm
ed redress for injuries received and indignites too
long endured from the British Government.
When we consider how much more intimate,
varied. and delicate have been the relations of our
Government with Great Britain than those of the
insurgent States, we can still more justly appre-
ciate the wisdom and skill which, under the man
scement of the distinguished Premier Of the Ad-
mnstration, have conducted our foreign affairs to
their present prosperous attitude. As the Presi-
dent remarks, questions Of great intricacy and i'm
portance have arisen out Of the blockade and other
belligerent operations between our Government and
several of the maritime Powers, but he is able to
add, they have been discussed, and as far as was
possible, accommodated in spirit of frankness,
Justice, and mutual good will And thus it is
that he was able to report at the very threshold Of
his annual exposition, giving to the announcement
place according to its dignity and Significance,
the no less rare than gratifying fact that "we re-
main in peace and friendship with foreign
Powers"