Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-11-17
FRANCE AND SLAVERY.
Amongst the European news contained III

twentieth time at least, sent TO lts agents IL
Eurup.. and especially to NJ. S:.dyii, yer.
formal Instructions to make no c1hceSslofS-
not even TO listen to any discussion, relative t.
the suffice: Of slavery
The object of the Opinion in making tins
statement is clear enough. OF al the Parl.
newspapers, the "Or:nioa" is most hostile to
the Cunfeleracy 1t belongs 10 the ultra
Liberal party Of France, and is edi;ed cy {
socialist of the St. SimOnian school. Ii IL Il
furious, ignorant and INSCRIPTIONS asSa'ian'
of our institutions, and takes ITS views oi
American affairs from that New l"rk news
rs,er which most resembles itself, the Tn
frn." Iris also, in so far Is 1t darcs, aIi
enemy to the Emperor Louis Napoleon ana Ills
DYNASTY; and far from having any influence
in the politics OF the Empire, it studiousy se'f
it,olf to oppose and decry what it concs''es u
be the wish or policy Of the Chief OF the ota'e'
or course, with it's radical and communist
principles, it has diligently sought 10 keep
alive and stimulate that sensc!ess prejudice III
thu French mind on tho subject OF slavery :;
and this, in itself, soc, ia. to prove tlat i.
believes tho Emperor to be rather IN ia'or o'
that Institution.
Ii is true, however, that great numbers o'
Frenchmen, as we'll as Of Englishmc2' pave
cosi,into their heads from the teachings o.
our ex-ugeat, Spence, tha. it is the privilege
and dutv of the Eurorean Powers, when they
come to acknowledge the Independence Oh TIC
Confelcracy, 10 insist upon some sort oi supp
ia;iuns or guarantees from cur G"rernu:eE..
10 the effec, that the institution Of neGrH
slavery shall be what they call "amclIora;rd
for the present, and put into course OF grad
ual extinction By telling the French people
continually that the Confederate Government
ia insoleutl7 obstinate On this point aud will
make no concessions and listen to no discus
.;on about it, the Opinion hopes to thro"
additional obstacles in the way OF our ever
being recognized at all So much for the
position und objects Of the Opinion"
A t. the statement itself, ne believe We
may safely say that the Confederate Govern
ment has not, "for the twentieth time" no!
one time, sent any such formal instructors
10 Mr. Slidell. Iu the first place, 1t WAS un
necessary, because the French Government
ha, not asked' any concession, nor originated
any discussion about slavery; and, b'cau-e
If they had done 80, Mr.. Sldell is very t. 81!
aware that neither lie. on the part Of the Con
Tolerate Government, nor the Confederate
Government itself, has power to make any
concession, nor right to entertain any discus
sion upon any question relating TO our doines'
:ic institutions. The States, to which alone
those matters pertain, have not thought fit tc
confer any power on their Confederate agency
TO deal with them, either at home or abroad
Aud this is the answer which MIR. S!idc!
would inevitably Civ" to any French minister
who should propose as Il price Of recognition
or in any other form, to NEEDLE with thai
which concerns Lot France in the slightesr
degree.
Further, if the Confederate Government
even had the power to entertain such prop"'
sails, and enter upon such discussions, i
would not venture to do 80. P0b'lc opinion
in this ConfederacY would not sustain, n"i
endure it. Lot the "Opinion Nationale" un
derstand this if it be any comfort to it, Of
any aid in its purpose to prejudice the mild o.
France ara:nst u. we could have submitted
to anv interference upon the subject Of slavery
or oil We could have made better terms wit!
the old United States than with any Euro
moan nation before engaging IN desperate
war. 1t is not now, after pouring out torrents
OF our best blood on hundred fields, and sus
,ainin. alone and unaided the most formidable
invasion ever launched against any country
on earti,-not now, after submitting for three
wears to be blockaded out from intercourse
with mankind. after the whole people dcrrIr'
ing itself OF it's accustomed Injuries. and even
almost Of food a2d clothing, after quitting on:
accustomed pursuits, flingiug the whole mass
of our people into the field, stripping t''r bat
tie more completely than ever did France aer-
.elf in her struggle with banded Europe, We
are not now likely to be in the temper to c
out peecavi, and invite strangers TO dictate "a
Is our vav of life and the penance We are tc
do for our sins.
Neither is this'a matter oF temper and pride
and na,sior- alone. Far from it. Let Tbs
dominion" know also-and let it take wha
further comfort and aid it can from the aTowa
that the Confederate poop pie calmly and ccn
sia.ratcly prefer their social and industrial in
situations to those of any other land-tba
VIC are contont with thcm-shat oul
eonsciences are easy about thcm-that We
belieye those institutions supply Us with tina
;.,t and humane balance between capital snt
labor which society in Europe so deeply
needs. and which the Editor Of the "Opinion
and hiu associates sought in their various the
or;.x of com nunism. but never found, anc
never will. FINELY, let him understand thu
il oar system of labor needs now, or should
acme 10 need; what they call "amelioraton,
", mean to BIO the sole judges aad'the sole
administrators thereof: although, indeed, a.
a, present advised, we can conceive no ameii'
Grafton at all, save, perhaps, in the copicu'
;,,or.xt;ou Of more negroes from Africa.
Sc. whether ,ir Slidell has got instructions
&v.nty times or not, the "0pinion" may vel
,.y there is to be no concession and no discus
sion.
THE CoNFEDERATES AT SEA.