Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-08-12
appopruA.Trra

min with Fsaace, which it would be suicidal to
neglect f.lcre is no installing the favorable dis
postru Of Louis Napoleon towards us. There Y no
question OF the fact th6t since bis conquest q Mex
ico he has community Of interest with " ~ pre-,
venting the restoration Of the unity, authority
power of the United States. There can be no donE
Of our ability and right to enter into commercial
treaty with him, giving him advantages over other
nations, which, without detriment to u.s. may be OF
such benefit to France "a will constrain him to &C.
cept them even though the consideration be the re-
cognition Of eur independence and the aid it need
ed, of his arm to make that independence secure
And this may be done without compromising our
character as Z people, or detracting from the just
credit which is our due for the success with which
we have resisted the gigantic effort for our over.
throw. Very early in the struggle Of 1776, the
honored statesmen who then directed public affairs
sent commissioner to France on just such an er-
rand ltsucceeded beyond expectation. The offer
Of exclusive advantages in trade We made to the
then Monarch Of France, but generously declining
to bind us by such an obligation, he nevertheless
gave as the potent aid of his arms. The time seems
propitious for renewed experiment in this way;
and, though we will not say that the urgency of our
condition requires it, We are convinced that the
Judgment OF the country would approve it.
II should 90 remembered, too, that IN the hurry
OF events, and the ever shifting circumstances of
our situation, and in the relation of other countries
to us, the opportunity may not tarry with US. If
not seized when presented, it may pass away and
Do lost forever. We have suffered enough in other
matters by lost opportunities to give us warning
In the very first step towards organized govern
ment-ths construction Of the Observation-Disclosures
opportunity was lost Of forming Cabinet Of States
men, equal to the ordeal on which We were enter.
ing; and the error was repeated twelve months
lister WHEN the Permanent Government was inaugI
rated great opportunity was lost when the gov
To khon
fund for foreign credit and basis for domestic
currency. The planters were eager to place it in
the hands Of the government They would gladly
have accepted eight cents pound or less, or moth
ing for it. if assured that it was necessary would
be used for public defence. Cotton certificates
would then have become the circulation of the coun
ry-gold and silver would have been discarded as
which has taken place would have been unknown
speculation extorton, corruption the love of lucre
which has eaten like gangrene into the very heart
Of the land, converting zoo many among US into
worshipers Of gain; and.rendering them unmindful
of their duty to their country, to their fellow men,
and to their God" would have had nothing to tempt
them and nothing to feed upon. With such fund
IN hand, the government might have raised credit
Of hundreds Of millions in Europe and with these
millions might easily have had constructed vessels
of war enough 20 protect our harbors from blockade
INVASION besides purchasing all the arms and an
munition We needed Nor would these have been
the only good results but the sale Of cotton cert
Gates and the transfer by that means Of the owner
ship Of 50 much of the cotton to European purchas
ers, would have created there such an interest in
our success, that thor governments could not have
been Indifferent spectators to the wholesale robber-
ies aud destruction by which the stock of cotton has
been so materially reduced. We should have had
int anu I'M al tn mt
stop to such proceedings and save the property Of
European owners. Obi what An opportunity was
thrown away in this matter,-the result Of the op-
portunity thrown away before by the Presidential fail
ing 10 call to his aid the very first abilities of the
country. Measure what this has cost US by the no
BILE lives sacrificed the precious blood poured out
the treasure squandsred, the property ravaged and
destroyed, the sorrow, tears, anguish of the cOun-
try, and tell US if you can what would have been
the value to US of wiser policyl
Other opportunities, TOO at which We need only
glance have been thrown away. We might easily
have taken and destroyed, if we chose, Washington
after the FIRST battle of Manassas 1t is not impos-
sibls that the vigorous following up Of that remark.
able victory, TO all the consequences Of which it ad-
mtted, might have given US immediate peace We
might have saved Mississippi, and kept the enemy
from descending the Mississippi, BY hearty Sec
onding Of the heroic efforts Of Price. We might
have saved Kentucky by reinforcing Sidney john
ston. We might have saved New Orleans by more
energy in the building Of the iron clads. and better
skill IN the construction Of defences. Wemght 10
saved Nashville, and with it al Tennessee by block,
ing and terrifying the river. We might have saved
North by stronger defences and more troops
at Hatteras inlet and Roanoke island. we might
have saved Vicksourg, by completing the oetences
at Grand Gulf or even without that by properly
provisioning the city and placing 1t under cn'a-
mander who did not know how to surrender. Tie
saino Of Port Hudson. Nor will it do to say IN re-
ply to all this, that We had not troops. Troops
Offering their services volunteers during the hrSt
year of the war were rejected by thousands. why!
Avowedly because they could not be armed But
if the fatal error to which We have adverted hao
not been committed in the outset they could nave
been armed
Enough in this vsinl We do not recur to these
things for the sake of finding fault Ut giving pam
to those who may be accountable for them, or OF ex
citing dissatisfaction among the people. Sncn rem-
inscences are as painful to us a. to any OF our reao
ers, and We would gladly throw tho mantle OF ool'v
ion over all the shortcomings and plumbers OF those
to whom We have entrusted the direction Oh anAifs
if we did not hope By reminding their authors Of
them to arouse greater vigilance and energy, amore
comprehensive intelligence of the true interests OF
the country larger and wiser craftsmanship, and
mora catholic spirit One important error, the Pres
ident might vet repair, though he could not repair
the caamities that have resulted from It. He might
surround himself with constitutional advisers in
whose ability to counsel and assist him in bis mo-
mentous duties, the country would have more con-
6dence than it has in most Of those who now COM
bose his Cabinet. Such course would re-amnate
the country with the confidence and zeal that signal
lied the first months Of hls administration. 1t
would furnish proof hitherto wanting that no feel
ing moves the Executive heart but pure and ardent
devotion to the good Of the country and that to this
every other feeling ambition, hope, recollection
we'll to call the nation to prayer but may be prof
liable to consider whether we do not thereby attrib
ute to Providence msfortunes for which we are our.
selves responsible by failure to do what would have
prevented them. We ought to go before the high
Chancery of Heaven with hands clean sinful moras
can uplift. Sacred teaching admonshes US that w