The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-02-02
The Mexican Question I'm France.

CeXC Oh the Emp9rOrS reply 20 the
congratulations of the Corps Diplo-
matique, on New Years Day, address
ed to him by the Papal Nuncio in the
name of ell the other foreign minis
ters, did not appear in the 3foniLe,t,'
until after my letter Of Tuesday last
had been posted. There was no doubt
about the peaceful nature of its ten
dency, but as the words of man
like the Emperor Napoleon are known
to be we'll freighted and full of mean
ing, the public is never quite satisfied
until it has them placed officially be-
fore it in print. The Emperor's lam
guage was brief, but pointed What
he said amounted, in fact, to this:
That, looking back on the past and
forward to the future, he felt happy
in the thought of dangers avoided,
apprehensions removed, people and
rulers united more closely; happy es-
pecialy in the thought that 'epast ex-
periences permitted him to augur for
the world long days of peace and
prosperity" There can be no doubt
about such language or its meaning.
1t means q preference and an impulse
given to the peaceful pursuits of in
dustry, commerce, and universal ex-
hibitions over the wasteful and ex-
pensive indulgence in an ambitious
and aggressive policy. And in so
speaking, it must be allowed that Ma
poleon, however great and despotic
may be his authority, made himself
the mouth-piece of the nation, and
spoke like ruler elected by the po-
pular will. I believe that at this
moment there is no conflict on which
the French Government could enter;
no, not even one Cor the boundaries
of the Rhine" which would meet
with the national assent, or beheartily
supported by the voice of the people,
The one single blot upon the fair
face of the unfolding new year as it
rises into view, is the Mexican expe-
dition, and the Uncomfortable"
use no stronger word relations which
it keeps up between the people of
the two countries, in oil other re-
spects SO amicably disposed. It is
the couchemar, the nightmare of the
French mind, and is openly expressed
as such. An eminent French capi-
talist, largely engaged in commercial
md other enterprises, came to me
the other uay, to ask me whether I
really attached any weight to the re-
cent exaggerated rumors of serious
misunderstanding between this coun-
try and America, and went away ap-
parently greatly relieved when told
him, what believe to be the case,
that the Governments of Paris and
Washington, instead of ttmisunder-
standing" perfectly understand"
each other. The other day, OF the
Tuileries, the Emperor addressed and
conversed with the American Minis
ter in marked manner, and for an
unusual length of time. Now, I do
not profess to give you the precise
text of what he said, and which has
not been published in the Moniteur,
but know that the language used to
the representative Of America, in
particular, was as satisfactory in all
respects as that addressed to Europe
and the rest of the world in general.
Speaking of this subject, this morn
ing, the Debuis remarks that; every
ground of uneasiness in Europe seems
to have disappeared. In America, it
says the case is different; nor can ap-
prehension cease as long as the occu-
patton of Mexico lasts. If, it adds,
the country has hailed with legitimate
satisfaction the pacific language of
the Emperor on the 1st instant, it is,
above all, because "that language is
regarded as pledge of the speedy
return of the troops from Mexico"
[ have cited the above chiefly to
show how continually the public
mind in France runs upon this source
of apprehension, and how eager it is
to be freed from it. The sentiments
expressed publicly by the Emperor,
III conjunction with those addressed
more privately to Mr.. Bigelow, leave
no doubt that the desired expectations
will soon be realized, if no fortuitous
or imprndent impediment be thrown
in the way-Cor. Ne,rurk Adreytiser
New DoDGE-A robbery took place
ut Chattanooga lately, which, if the
facts are stated correctly, is one of the
most extraordinary on record. Two
men, named Bass and Williams, pre-
tending to be detectives from Colum-
bus, Georgia, persuaded IL lieutenant
of the military guard to furnish them
assistance, went to the Crutchfield
House, dragged several gentlemen
out of bed, carried them to the guard
house, piundered them OF over So, 900
in money, watches, etc., and kept
them locked up that night, and the
nayt dow cforta1 Soufb Tho n Ac,;, =,