, 1866-05-08

be the next occupant Of the White
House. The present contest, however,
could rot be protracted for three years
more-as it must be for this scheme to
succeed-wilhcut the sound of cannon
being once more heard in the land.
But it is not in domestic affairs alone
that the prospect is dark and troubled.
There are dangerous and embarrassing
questions vet pending with foreign Pow
yrs, ana two Of item give no slight unea-
slness 10 men who are anxious to see
their country settle doWnto its old career
of peace. THESE questions are the con
tinued occupation of Mexico by the
French and the closing Of British North
American fisheries 10 citizens of the Unit
ed States. On the first of these subjects
Congress is prepared to be firm on the
second it will hc very lIIiberal, and, it is
to be feared, eXaspera'iog The Next
can difficulty has been SO long before the
public that you may attach scarcely so
much importance as it deserves. to the
fact that near the middle of last month
i believe on the I2th-Mr. Seward sent
another despatch to the Marquis de Mon
thoIon, in reply to u despatch Of NJ.
DrouyU de Lhuys, dated the 9th Of jana
airy. Mr.. Stewards rejoinder is very
pressing and peremptory. NJ. Drouyn
de Lhuys had conteuded in his despatch
that the Empire in Mexico was chosen
by the people, and that the French army
had made no attempt to carry monarchI-
cal institutions in The fold of their flag.
In reply to arguments of this kind MIR.
Seward, | believe, insists that the cleo
ton of Macmillan was an act without
the authority and against the will and
opinions of the Mexican people. He
goes on to inform The French Govern-
ment that the United States had seen no
evidence that the voice of the people of
Mexico was heard in the selection of the
''so-calIed Empire,'' which had been got
up in their capital, and that consequently
the United States could never recognize
MaXimilian. After entering at some
length (the despatch is u very elaborate
one) into a discussion of these points Mr..
Seward, as | I'M informed, proceeds to
point out the gravity Of the circumstances
and the necessity OF adjusting ga question
the continuance of which must be necesSa-
rily prejudicial to the harmony and friend
ship which have hitherto always existed
between the United States and France"
He then refers TO the French campaign
in Mexico as an act of Intervention dam
gerous to the United States and to re-
publican institutions in the American
hemisphere. He afterwards reviews the
past and present position Of Mexico,
and asserts that no foreign Power had
any right to interfere in trials such as
hers. Ia reply to NJ. Drouyn de Lhuys,
who had said that the French expedition
was only an alliance with the constitu-
tional party in Mexico, and had asked
whether the assistance which France
gave to the Americans in their War of
independence abated from the national
character Of the struggle-in reply to
this, Mr.. Seward simply afirms that
there is a great difference between the
position of the Americans at the period
referred to, and that Of the Mexicans
when the French went among them.
He then comes to the main point Of the
despatch, and informs the French Minis
ter that the United States will be "grati-
fled to have defnitiye information of the
time when French military operations
may be expe cted to cease in Mexico"