Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-01-26
FOREIGN RELATI0Ns.


The wish expressed by us a week or
two since that! the public might be in
formed Of the exact condition of the Mexi-
can question has been gratifed by the
publication of the correspondence between
our Government and that of France. The
important point of that correspondence is
that on the 18th of October M. Druyn de
Lhuys, the French Foreign Minister, wrote
to the Marquis de Montholon, the French
envoy at Washington, that, if the United
States would recognize Maximilian, France
would doubtless be able to withdraw its
forces from Mexico. On the 9th of De-
cember Mr. Seward replies that the con-
dition suggested is impracticable; and on
the 10th Of December he writes to Mr..
Bigelow that the United States earnestly
desire peace with France, but that peace
would be probably impossible unless
France should retire from Mexico, and he
expresses his regret that from conversa-
tion'whch NJ. Druyn de Lhuys held with
Mr.. Bigelow it was clear that the matter
could not be arranged upon ground al
ready suggested
The position of this country upon the
question is plainly Defined 1t will not
recognize Maximilian, and it maintains
diplomatic relations with Juarez and the
native republic. In itsgeyes,. therefore,
Maximilian is an inter1eper, and danger
Gus to the United States. Their peace
and safety under present circumstances
require his departure, and if, after fore
ible and courteous reiteration of this de-
clsfation and the exhaustion Of every hon
orable persuasion, France still persists in
sustaining Maximihan by arms, It will be-
come practical question for the United
States whether and when and how they
will sustain Juarez. The whole world is
aware that the circumstances under which
France went to Mexico are utterly changed.
The French enterprise depended for sue
cess upon our national destruction, and
France must conform to the unexpected re-
suit of our triumph or pay the penalty
This conclusion is suggested by Mr.. Sew
ard, politely, but plainly and emphatical-
ly. We believe, as we have always be-
ieved, that France will not push the mat
ter to extremity.
The question OF our alabama claims
upon Great Britain has also taken a
definite form. On the 21st of November
MIR. ADAMS informed Lord CLARENDON
that the United States declined the propo-
sition for joint commission. On the I'd OF
December Lord CLARENDON replied, de-
clining to prolong the controversy, asserting
that ''no armed vessel departed during
the war from British port to cruise
against the commerce of the United States" :"
and that ''the British Government have
steadily and honestly discharged all the
duties incumbent upon them as neutral
power" His Lordship should have added
that there was no ship known as the Al-
ALBANIA, and then his rejoinder would have
been consistent and complete.
The history of the alabama has been
written by Mr.. GEORGE BEMIs, of Boston,
in series of exhaustive papers upon the
subject. He shows from the Parliamen-
tary Blue-books, giving dates and docu-
tudI VESSEL UtU ucpdGG
from a British port to cruise against
American Commerce. That question is
not open. And if the British Government
is contented with the precedent of neutral
ity which it has established, it is satisfied
with course that must ineAitably destroy
its own commerse the instant it is engaged
in war;
But as we do not expect that France
will proceed to extremities upon the Mex
ican question, so we do not believe the
United States will make war upon Great
Britain to enforce the alabama claims
In both cases the position of the United
States is just and dignifed; and it is GER
tainly matter of honest pride that in the
gravest hour of our history our diplomatic
ability has been as mastery as our militia
ry skilL-Harper's Weekly