Maryland free press., 1863-02-27
Prospects OF a Foreign War.

The New York Times expresses the opin-
ion that we are on the eve of war with
France, and calls upon Congress not to ad-
jOurn without having made full provision for
strengthening the navy and for putting the
seaport towns in condition fol defense. We
subjoin portion Of the remarks Of the Times
on our relations with France.--It says:
We have come with great reluctance to tie
conclusion, which the current of events has
nevertheless forced upon Us, that the French
Emperor has determined to open our ports for
the export of cotton before the 1st of April,
and that he will welcome rather than dcpre-
cate war as the consequence of that act, if
events can be SO shaped as to give him TIE
prospective control Of cotton growing dis
trict on the borders Of the Gulf Of Mexico
The persistent interference of Napoleon in our
aiIffiiTg1iin the face Of the most distinct and
steady discouragement of England and Rus.
sa, betrays purpose which has not been has
tily formed, and from which he will not read
lily swervc.
During the earlier stages of the war, it is
now well known, he pressed the English gov
ernnent to join him in Intervention, but with
out success. In October last he made for
NAL proposition to England ard Russia to the
same effect, which was rejected: Not content
with this, nor discouraged byit, he has re-
newcd his ef1orts-not by the profcr of media
ton, but by suggesting to our government the
course it should pursue to end the war. What
reason is there to suppose he will stop with
this F? The very fact Of hiepersistence proves
that he will persist. He is not man lightly
to abandon designs lie has once cherished, or
to reverse policy on which he has once en-
tered. lie often changes his means, but rare
! y his ends What he fails 10 accomplish in
one way, he is quite certain to seek in another.
Lie has set his heart in the first instance, on
obtaining cotton for the mills Of France. 1t
Is well known that very large purchases of
cotton on French account have been made in
the Southern States, and we have already been
distinctly warned that during the coming
spTihg this cotton must be delivered Tie
Language of his special and immediate organs
in Paris-the declarations of the newest among
them, La Nation, tie tenor of the Mouiteur
the general tone Of the Ministerial journals
and the recent change of language Of the lib
eral Fress--combine to show that this is the
policy which the French Emperor has resolv
ed to carry out, "Therc remains nothing for
us to do" says recent number of La Nation.
'bIt t" present ourselves to tie people of the
South to buy the cotton which they only con-
sent to deliver into our hands, and with tLs
ccrtitude that it will not fall into those of tba
Federals. TO present ourselves with money
and cannon-the money to pay, and the can |
non to force our way, if any one should pre-
tend to bar The passage-that is the solution ),
In our judgement, that is precisely the "solu-
ton" we shall very speedily be called on to
meet
We are aware that the French government
aoounds i'll protcstations of the most friendly
Feelings, and repudiates utterly the irnputa-
aon OF hostile designs. To all this we attach
not the slightest Importance.
louis Napolean has already collected in the
Gulf, and in immediate proximity to Texas
and our Southern coast, naval squadron car
fying very nearly as many guns as our whole
ol'ckading forcc-half of it utterly useless, 80
lar as the war upon Mexico is concerned In
the disasters he has met he finds anple OK.
c"Se Tor sending an army of $4,000 or 100
ooo French troops across the ocean. He has
haa agents for months past in this country
preparing the way for the accomplishment of
his designs M. Mercier, his Minister at Wash
ihsTon, an adroit diplomatist of the French
school, has been from the beginning in close
relations with men of the secession strine and
nas oeen actively intriguing against our gov
efnmont, in Washington, in Now York and in
'N'hSh0ad' With Bin kaown oynpsthies sss