, 1863-09-16
U)ifa9o Qribunt.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1868.


WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1868.
FRANCE AND THE REHELs.
The RECOGNITION Of the rebel Govern
rncnt nndcr the name Of the Southern Con-
federacy, by France, Mill work no change
IN the attitude of France to the United
States. What possibilities, nay what prob
abilities, lie behind such an act of the I'M
Terial Government, ne do not now discuss.
But the fact that the Emperor consents to
receive dip1omctic representative sent 10
his court By Mr. J. Davis, and that Mr. ].
Davis. welcomes in return an en-
ToY from the Emperor, makes no differ
ence to u.s. The treaties which would
Erow out of such an arrangement would
be subordinate to our blockade and as
long as the blockade WAS respected, COM
1nerce between the contracting parties
would be impossible, and the aid to the
rebel cause would be wholly confined to
the moral power accruing to the Confed-
eracy by recognition.
It is feared, however, that the En-
pcrors policy, 50 far as it can be seen, will
not end IN recognition Mone, and that his
zilterior designs are to make himself par
i yto 0ur; domestic quarrel: II this be his
intention; he may. as soon as he consents
to make treaties Of commerce and alliance
with the South, set up the claim that our
Blockade is useless, annoying and too long
continued; that the property Of his sub
jects is w1ongfuny seized by our cruisers,
and that the ports Of the rebellious States
snua bo~openod to French. ships. Ex-
cuses for a quarrel are never want
ing when one party is deter
mined upon aggression This i.
true in times Of peace; but the vexations
. and complications Of war add largely to
belligerent opportunity; and be as careful.
as considcrate md as lawful as we may,
! a month would not elapse before the cause
of war would be found. Injuries not
= felt may be invented; and who is more
s1ertile than Napoleon? g.
In view Of this untavorab!e prospect
:rnfavora6le if the European rumors and
confectures that reach us are true-we regret
to see that q portion. Of the newspaper
press is disposed to make itself bel1igcrent
in advance Of dn overt act, and that the
war trumpet is alcsdy sounded. Conduct
so brnin1css, fails, by the poverty of the
language, of being stigma1iscd as it de-
serves. We have, as q nation, but one
course to pursue-to 60 On with our
task, Let Napoleon alone, and with
out regarding or needing what his
friends or his enemies say Of what he
means to do, to judge him By his acts.
And when they become hostile, to resort
,- to force. We have no concessions, no bar
= gains, territorial or commercial, political
or SOCIAL, TO make with him to purchase
his favor or dcprecate his wrath. Exist
ing treaties and the law OF nations are suf-
1icient for the regulating Of such commu-
munication as tie two countries most con-
earned choose to have. He Is too wise
and crafty to be cajoled BY buttered words
1e is too bold to be awed by threats, and
too stolid and Indifferent to care for abuse.
Entirely independent Of our Government
and our people, looking upon quarrel as
zpossiblcopportunity for atfording en-
p1oyment for his army and tor giving
an impulse to the power Of his
: navy, he is simply biding his time, andun-
til that comes and he affords some tangi-
ble and convincing proof that he is our en-
eng, good policy which is only manites-
tation Of good sense, demands that he
should be treated, if not trusted, as our
friend IN private life and among indi-
viduals, the unfailing recipe for quarrel
is pretence, well insisted upon, By one
pa1ty that the other does or wishes him
ILL The i'll, real Or imagined, is almost
sure to come. And in the case in hand,
we suspect that the intense Copperheads
who arskurc that Napoleon means war,
are mot torgetful Of the recipe that We
give, and are following its indications,
by assuming that Wat, in all save its for
NAL declaration, already exists, only
to insure the interposition that
wou1d benefit their friends. It Is their
wisdom or gift Of prophecy that is agita-
ting the country to-day. The event may
ahow that they are either fools or haves
We have not believed that war with
France, growing out Of any direct inter-
ference with our affairs, was anything
more than remote probability, until the
policy Of the South in relation to slavery
is changed The French people, though
temporarily content under institutions that
have no claim to be called free, are not
ready to shed their blood for slavery else
where And that unwillingness, the En-
peror will be forced to respect 1t is per-
haps the only guaranty for the continuance
Of peace.